M’S Bullpen Does It Again Relievers Blow A Lead To Athletics, Ending Regular Season With A Loss

The one aspect of their team the Seattle Mariners hope to keep very underexposed in the upcoming American League Division Series with Baltimore cost them a victory Sunday.

For the 27th time, the Mariners’ bullpen let a lead get away. And what would have been Jeff Fassero’s 17th victory turned into a 9-7 loss when Oakland scored five runs in the seventh inning off Norm Charlton.

Fassero was scheduled to go just five innings Sunday as a tune-up for his Game 3 start Saturday against Baltimore. In the playoff series, ideally, the Mariners’ starters will last at least seven innings, to lessen the likelihood of the suspect bullpen letting victories get away.

“The bullpen has shown over the last couple weeks that they can do the job and they have been doing the job,” Fassero said. “It would be nice to go out there and get seven, eight, nine innings out of the three of us (Fassero, Randy Johnson and Jamie Moyer). That might take pressure off of the bullpen. Also, if the guys go score eight or nine runs, it takes the pressure off of everybody.”

While the status of the relief corps is a concern, the blown save Sunday meant little compared to what will begin Wednesday with Game 1 against Baltimore.

“The emotion’s going to change come Wednesday,” Fassero said. “You still don’t have that adrenaline going because we’ve got two more days before we play. It’s something I’ve been close to in Montreal for a couple years and now I’m there. It’s everything I’ve wanted. We still have a few more steps to get what we really want. I’m excited about it. I’m ready to go.”

The Seattle starting rotation has proven it is in playoff shape over the past three weeks.

Seattle starters have accumulated a 3.09 earned-run average in the past 18 games.

Although Charlton’s outing Sunday was another eyesore to add to his unhealthy season, the bullpen has been solid recently as well. Bobby Ayala and Heathcliff Slocumb have each been effective.

Ayala ends the regular season on the best extended stretch he’s had all year. Since Aug. 1, in 24 games, he has a 3-1 record with two saves and a 1.73 ERA. Slocumb is 10-for11 in save opportunities with Seattle.

But those two weren’t involved in the late-inning debacle Sunday.

After Fassero pitched five innings, giving up just a single run on a third-inning home run by Izzy Molina, the Athletics’ No. 9 hitter, Ken Cloude took over with a 5-1 lead in the sixth.

Cloude gave up three runs while facing eight batters. Then Charlton entered with one on in the seventh. Three consecutive singles and a grand slam by Matt Stairs gave Oakland a 8-5 lead.

It was the second grand slam Charlton has given up this season and his ERA rose to 7.27 while his record fell to 3-8.

Elia to leave Mariners

Lee Elia, bench coach and hitting instructor for Seattle the past five seasons, won’t be back with the Mariners after the playoffs.

Elia, 60, said Sunday he has informed the team he is giving up hisjob because he wants to be closer to his family in Odessa, Fla.

He has a daughter, Ashley, 8, who is a second-grader.

“I want to be a part of her growing up,” Elia said. “I had to make a decision.”

Coming up

A rally for the Mariners will be held at Westlake Center at noon Tuesday. Piniella and a few players will be in attendance. Game 1 of the playoffs begins at 5:07 p.m. Wednesday with Randy Johnson (20-4, 2.28 ERA) facing Baltimore’s Mike Mussina (15-8, 3.20).