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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
SEATTLE (AP) -- Rafael Palmeiro of the Texas Rangers knew his
slump was only temporary. It still ate at him, though.
"Don't let them kid you," Palmeiro said Sunday. "No matter
how much success you've had in the past, it bothers and it bothers
you a lot. It bothers everybody. You've just got to deal with it
and move on."
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A-Rod to return full-time Tuesday
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Mariners manager Lou Piniella said he expects All-Star SS
Alex Rodriguez to be back Tuesday night against Oakland. Piniella
said Rodriguez could be used as a pinch-hitter Monday night against
the Athletics. "He needs one more day of catching groundballs,
especially to his left," Piniella said. "But hitting-wise he's
ready to go." Rodriguez has been on the DL since July 14 because
of a sprained right knee.
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Palmeiro's RBI single in the eighth inning and Rick Helling's
solid pitching gave the Rangers a 3-2 victory over the Seattle
Mariners.
Palmeiro ended an 0-for-18 slump with a double in the seventh.
He hadn't had a hit since doubling in the fourth inning Tuesday
night in Anaheim.
"I guess it was finally my turn," Palmeiro said. "It's always
a thrill to win a game, but when you win a lot you kind of take it
for granted. So when you win when you haven't been winning, it's
very satisfying."
The Rangers, who gave up 25 runs in the first two games of their
first series at Safeco Field when their two starters went only 5
1/3 innings, ended a four-game losing streak against Seattle this
season. The defending AL West champions are in last place this
season, now trailing first-place Seattle by 10½ games.
|  | | Rick Helling's solid start helped the Rangers end a four-game losing streak against the Mariners. |
In the eighth, Mike Lamb singled off Arthur Rhodes (3-4). With
two outs, Rhodes walked Rusty Greer before Palmeiro singled to
right.
"He threw me a slider and I got the bat on it," Palmeiro said.
"He gave me a pitch I was able to hit. I haven't had a lot of
success against him (Rhodes) in the past, but not a lot of other
people have, either."
Rhodes said the key to his loss was his walk to Greer on a 3-2
count. He threw balls on his last two pitches to Greer. Plate
umpire Scott Higgins' calls were booed loudly by the fans.
Rhodes thought they were strikes, but he didn't complain. He
tried to make eye contact with Higgins as he left the field at the
end of the inning, but he said Higgins wouldn't look at him.
"He didn't want to look me in the eye and say, 'OK, I missed
that pitch -- both pitches,' " Rhodes said.
Rhodes, a left-hander, has been eating up left-handed hitters
this season, holding them to a .154 batting average. Both Lamb, a
rookie, and Palmeiro are left-handed hitters.
"I don't want you guys to tell him (Lamb) that he's not
supposed to hit left-handers," Texas manager Johnny Oates said.
"That's how you get get that platoon stuff started."
Told of Oates' remark, Lamb nodded and said, "He's a good
pitcher. He throws the ball hard. It's difficult."
Helling (11-7) won his fourth straight decision after losing six
consecutive starts. He gave up eight hits, walked two and struck
out one. Before his six-game losing slide, he had a five-game
winning streak.
"I think I've pitched pretty consistently all year," said
Helling, who has the fourth-best ERA in the AL at 3.71. "My
results have been up and down, but as a starting pitcher you can't
control your wins and losses."
John Wetteland pitched the ninth for his 25th save in 30
chances.
Safeco Field's retractable roof was open under sunny skies after
it failed to close during a storm Saturday, causing a 54-minute
rain delay. That was Seattle's first rain delay since a Seattle
Pilots' game Sept. 12, 1969.
The Mariners tied it at 2 in the seventh after David Bell opened
with a double and was sacrificed to third by Dan Wilson. Mark
McLemore, who played nine seasons for the Rangers, singled home
Bell.
Seattle got its first run in the fifth when McLemore singled,
stole second and came home on Carlos Guillen's single.
Texas took a 2-0 lead in the fourth after Ivan Rodriguez walked
and took third on a single by Dave Martinez.
Rodriguez scored and Martinez reached third on Wilson's passed
ball, and Lamb had an RBI grounder.
Freddy Garcia started for Seattle and, in six innings, gave up
two runs, one earned, on six hits and three walks.
The Rangers loaded the bases in the sixth and the seventh
without scoring. Garcia struck out Luis Alicea to end the sixth and
reliever Brett Tomko got pinch-hitter Frank Catalonotto to pop out
and Gabe Kapler to ground out to end the seventh.
Game notes
Joe Oliver's grand slam Saturday was
the first against the Rangers in Seattle since Dann Howitt's slam
off Nolan Ryan in the Kingdome Sept. 22, 1993. That was the final
hit against Ryan in his Hall of Fame career. ... Greer ended an
0-for-14 slump with a 2-for-3 game with two walks. He was given
Saturday off.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Texas Clubhouse
Seattle Clubhouse
Mariners don't expect any more rain delays
RECAPS
Boston 1
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