Going, Going, Gone For Fassero M’S Pitcher Lets Long Balls Fly Again In 13-3 Loss To Oakland A’S 13 Mariners 3

A day after the Randy Johnson welcome-home party, Safeco Field played host to the Jeff Fassero farewell tour.

Wednesday night, it was goodbye home runs No. 29 and 30.

And so long, Jeff, after three innings.

Against the Oakland A’s, the Mariners’ Fassero was treated to a familiar yet unpleasant sight - balls hit high and hard, screaming out of the ballpark, with the shaken pitcher’s exit not far behind.

Ramon Hernandez touched the lefty for a three-run homer in the second and John Jaha followed with a two-run blast an inning later, the ignition points for a 13-3 Oakland victory before a crowd of 42,223.

That kept Fassero on a record-setting pace for homers served up by a pitcher in a season, not to mention in grave danger of losing his spot with the Mariners before the trade deadline.

Fassero stands just five homers shy of catching Ferguson Jenkins (35 in 1973) for fourth on the pitchers’ long-ball list, 20 away from tying Bert Blyleven (50 in 1986) for the worst pounding ever.

A big season would have meant a big contract extension. Only Fassero’s once unsullied reputation currently is being negotiated.

His career has gone south because: 1) he doesn’t have the financial security he desires; 2) his arm hasn’t bounced back from off-season surgery; or 3) it’s over.

The shellshocked Mariners starter made it through the first inning, retiring the A’s on a flyout, a caught base-stealer after a walk and a strike out.

In the second, Hernandez stroked a 2-0 pitch over a beer sign in left and into the bullpen, scoring Olmedo Saenz and Matt Stairs, who had reached on a hit batter and fielder’s choice. For Hernandez, it was just his third big-league homer, but second against the Mariners.

An inning later, Jaha jumped on a 2-2 delivery and smacked it 10 rows up in left, plating Jason Giambi, who had singled with two outs. Jaha’s homer was his 21st.

Fassero (4-11) didn’t come out for the fourth inning, drawing his second-quickest hook of the season. He threw just 69 pitches, again his second-lowest total. Just 37 were strikes, yet another runner-up figure.

Fassero didn’t feel comfortable from the start.

“When you get behind every hitter, it’s going to hurt you,” he said. “I felt like I was just forcing it tonight.”

Fassero’s earned run average is a bloated 7.04. His confidence level is running on zero.

The Mariners must have known something. Earlier in the day, they recalled Ryan Franklin from Class AAA Tacoma for long relief. He was barely unpacked when the call came for him to replace Fassero.

The A’s mostly needed just one pitcher to get the job done, control specialist Gil Heredia (7-5). Beating the Mariners, and Fassero, for the second time this season, the right-hander went eight innings.