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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Alex Rodriguez has left the Mariners'
management, fans and teammates guessing how much longer he will
stay in Seattle, because of his desire to play for a winning team.
Now he's on one. The Mariners are leading the AL West by 3½
games over Oakland nearing the All-Star break, by virtue of
Rodriguez's two home runs in Wednesday night's 6-4 victory over the
Anaheim Angels.
So will the four-time All-Star shortstop stay, or go when his
contract expires at the end of the season?
|  | | Alex Rodriguez, right, gets a congratulatory high-five from third base coach Larry Bowa after his first homer Wednesday. |
"It's a great question in October," Rodriguez said. "But
right now, I'll say what I've always said: I'm going to talk about
my situation when the season's over and make a decision. But right
now, there's nothing to talk about."
Mariners chairman Howard Lincoln said during spring training
that the team would not trade Rodriguez before the July 31 deadline
if they were in contention for the division title, and that a
contending team was the only way they could keep him.
Rodriguez, who replaced Ken Griffey Jr. in the third spot in the
batting order this season after Griffey was traded to Cincinnati,
is making $4.2 million this year. Speculation has him seeking a
$200 million, 10-year deal.
"The one nice thing about being in first place is that we got
there by thinking in the present tense. And I think that's the way
champions think," Rodriguez said. "So I refuse to think about the
past or the future, because that's going to be detrimental to the
way we play."
David Bell hit a three-run homer for the Mariners, who extended
their AL West lead over the third-place Angels to seven games with
their 14th victory in 18 games and 11th in 16 on the road.
John Halama (8-4) allowed four runs -- two earned -- and nine hits
in 5 2/3 innings. The left-hander, who lost four of his previous
five decisions following a 6-0 start, struck out six and walked
one.
All three outs in the eighth against Seattle reliever Brett
Tomko were caught on the warning track. The only batter who reached
safely was Adam Kennedy, on a bloop double.
"With a two-run lead, I'd rather see 990 feet of fly balls than
walks," Seattle manager Lou Piniella said with a laugh. "So it
didn't bother me one bit."
Kazuhiro Sasaki got three outs for his 18th save in 20 chances,
and eighth in a row.
The Angels trimmed Seattle's lead to 6-4 in the sixth with five
singles off Halama -- four with two outs. Edgard Clemente drove in
Garret Anderson for his fourth RBI in 58 at-bats, and Bengie Molina
scored on a high chopper off the plate by Darin Erstad that came
down too late for second baseman Mark McLemore to make a play on.
"They put the ball in play, which is what they're supposed to
do with two outs," Halama said. "I just try to go out there, try
to make good pitches and keep doing what I'm doing. I'm giving up
groundball base hits, and there was nothing I could do."
Erstad, relegated to DH duty for the second straight game
because of a stiff back, had three RBI, including a two-run double
in the second inning. The Angels' leadoff hitter, added to the
All-Star team earlier in the day, leads the majors with 135 hits
and 44 multihit games.
Brian Cooper (3-3), coming off a three-hitter against Oakland,
was chased during a four-run fifth that included Rodriguez's 24th
homer and Bell's sixth. Rodriguez's drive cleared the double-tiered
bullpen in left field and was measured at 455 feet.
"That's very surprising. I'm not sure how far it went, but I
know hit it as good as I can hit it," Rodriguez said.
Cooper, who didn't allow a homer in 28 1/3 innings over his
previous four starts, allowed six runs and nine hits in 4 1/3
innings.
"He pitched a heck of a game except for those three bad
pitches," Molina said. "Those three pitches were right down the
middle, and they made him pay. If you take any one of those away,
we have a game."
Rodriguez homered in the first for a 2-0 lead, but Anaheim tied
it in the second when Erstad doubled after McLemore dropped
Molina's popup for an error.
Game notes
Mariners RHP Gil Meche was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma,
allowing him to pitch on Sunday instead of missing his regular turn
during the All-Star break. Jamie Moyer is scheduled to start Sunday
for Seattle against the Dodgers. ... INF Carlos Guillen was
recalled from Tacoma. ... Edgar Martinez failed to drive in a run
for the first time in 10 games. ... Aaron Sele was the first RHP in
the Mariners' 24-year history to be selected for the All-Star Game.
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Baseball Scoreboard
Seattle Clubhouse
Anaheim Clubhouse
RECAPS
Cleveland 15
Toronto 7
NY Yankees 12
Baltimore 6
Tampa Bay 4
Detroit 1
Chi. White Sox 6
Kansas City 3
Boston 11
Minnesota 8
Texas 9
Oakland 4
Seattle 6
Anaheim 4
Pittsburgh 9
Chicago Cubs 6
San Francisco 4
Colorado 2
NY Mets 11
Florida 2
St. Louis 4
Cincinnati 3
Montreal 6
Atlanta 5
Arizona 12
Houston 9
Philadelphia 5
Milwaukee 2
Los Angeles 7
San Diego 5
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