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Thursday, Apr. 6 10:05pm ET
Japanese closer slams door on Sox | |||||
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SEATTLE (AP) -- Kazuhiro Sasaki made quick work of the Boston Red Sox to the delight of the Safeco Field crowd. The Japanese closer struck out the side in the ninth inning for his first major league save as the Seattle Mariners beat the Boston Red Sox 5-2 on Thursday night. "When I go home, it will hit me," Sasaki said through an interpreter. "It will make me very happy." The fans gave the 6-foot-4 right-hander a standing ovation after he fanned Jose Offerman for the final out. "I'm thankful for the support. It's easy to pitch when they are behind you," said Sasaki, the career saves leader in Japan with 229 in 10 seasons with the Yokohama BayStars. He also struck out Jason Varitek and Scott Hatteberg. Sasaki made his first appearance Wednesday night in the Mariners' 9-3 victory, pitching a one-hit ninth with one strikeout. Mike Cameron and David Bell hit back-to-back homers in the eighth inning and Alex Rodriguez drove in two runs as the Mariners rallied for the victory. "It was a good ballgame," Red Sox manager Jimy Williams said. "We had some chances to score. We had the right guys up at times, but it didn't work out." Seattle tied it 2-2 in the seventh when Rodriguez brought home Dan Wilson on a bases-loaded fielder's choice to third. Manny Alexander stopped the shot with a dive, but his throw to second was dropped by Offerman for an error. "Alexander made a heck of a play to just stop it, but we weren't able to get the out," Williams said. John Olerud gave the Mariners their first lead on another fielder's choice off Bryce Florie (0-1), a grounder to first that scored Mark McLemore. Jose Mesa (1-0) pitched one-plus inning for the victory. Brian Daubach's RBI single in the sixth gave the Red Sox a 2-1 lead. Daubach was 2-for-3 a day after his first two-homer game. He is 16-for-31 (.516) against Seattle, with four home runs and 15 RBI. Boston opened the scoring in the third on Trot Nixon's solo homer off Aaron Sele, the former Washington State University pitcher making his first start for the Mariners. Sele, who left the Texas Rangers as a free agent in the offseason, allowed two runs on six hits and four walks over six innings. "I felt fine. I managed to keep us in the game for six innings and then we were able to come up with some runs later," Sele said. Seattle tied it in the fifth against former Mariners pitcher Jeff Fassero on Rodriguez's RBI double into the left-field corner. Fassero, Seattle's opening day starter last year, allowed one run on three hits and six walks in five innings. "I'm pleased with how I pitched tonight," Fassero said. "I wanted to start this year better than last year, and I did." Fassero was 4-14 for the Mariners with a 7.38 ERA last year. The Red Sox pitchers struggled with their control in the three-game series, walking 16 Mariners. Game notesSele, Boston's first-round draft choice in 1991, was 38-33 with a 4.41 ERA with the Red Sox from 1993-97. ... The crowd of 25,121 was the smallest ever at Safeco Field, which opened after the All-Star break last year. ... Boston's Nomar Garciaparra, the 1999 AL batting champion, singled in the first inning for his first hit of the season. He was 0-for-8 in the first two games. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Boston Clubhouse Seattle Clubhouse RECAPS Kansas City 9 Toronto 3
Seattle 5
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