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  Tuesday, Aug. 8 5:05pm ET
M's sweep with power, pitching
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

CHICAGO (AP) -- Congratulations on your outstanding debut, Joel Pineiro. Now clear out your locker.

Pineiro, brought up from Triple-A ball for a spot start, pitched like he's been in the majors all summer, and Alex Rodriguez homered in both games Tuesday night as the Seattle Mariners swept the Chicago White Sox 12-4, 7-5.

Jay Buhner
Jay Buhner drove in Edgar Martinez, left, and Alex Rodriguez on his first-inning grand slam in Game 1. Martinez added another slam in the eighth.

"He showed remarkable poise," Seattle manager Lou Piniella said. "We're going to send him out. That's his reward for pitching a great ballgame for us."

Pineiro gave up two runs and scattered five hits over six-plus innings, and he got all the run support he needed on grand slams by Jay Buhner and Edgar Martinez. Rodriguez homered off reliever Kevin Beirne and drove in two more runs for the Mariners.

In the second game, Rodriguez hit the longest homer at Comiskey Park so far this year, and former White Sox Mike Cameron hit a two-run double in the five-run fifth inning and homered.

The White Sox threatened in the ninth, putting runners at first and third, but Cameron and John Olerud made spectacular catches and Kazuhiro Sasaki struck out Herbert Perry to end the game. It was Sasaki's 27th save in 30 chances.

The Mariners have won five straight, moving them 21 games above .500 (67-46) for the first time in franchise history. The losses cut Chicago's lead over second-place Cleveland in the AL Central to eight games.

"That's the nice thing to beat everybody's expectations," Olerud said. "To surprise people."

Though it was impressive, Pineiro's debut wasn't a total surprise. He dazzled his teammates in spring training, and is 7-0 with a 2.41 ERA in nine games at Triple-A Tacoma.

Pineiro said he was nervous before the game, but he sure didn't look it as he held the highest-scoring team in the majors in check for six-plus innings.

"A great experience. An awesome experience," Pineiro said. "I'm still in la-la land right now."

He allowed only two extra-base hits, one of which was a solo homer to Charles Johnson in the fifth inning. That brought a visit from pitching coach Bryan Price, but Pineiro retired the next six batters he faced, striking out two of them.

He struck out four and walked only two. There was a smattering of applause as he left the field.

Pineiro wasn't disappointed to hear he was going back to Triple-A. With the starting rotation the Mariners have, he knows he has to wait his turn.

"They gave me a chance and I gave the team a chance to win," he said. "Now I've just got to keep doing my job."

Johnson added a sacrifice fly in the seventh and a solo homer in the ninth off Brett Tomko. It is his third multihomer game of the season and the seventh of his career.

Tomko, who also allowed a solo homer to Magglio Ordonez in the eighth, pitched three innings for his first career save.

"For me, on a personal level, it was a big game," Johnson said. "But it doesn't really mean a whole lot when you lose."

Chicago's rookie pitcher wasn't as fortunate as Pineiro. Jon Garland (2-4) gave up six runs and eight hits in just 3 2/3 innings. He also walked three and struck out two.

Garland got in trouble early, issuing three straight walks in the first inning to load the bases. He then gave up the grand slam to Buhner on a full count. It was the 22nd homer of the year for Buhner and his second grand slam. He now has 10 career slams.

"Fastball, belt-high," Garland said when asked what he threw Buhner. "Everything a hitter was asking for."

Beirne, who replaced Garland, gave up an RBI single to Carlos Guillen in the eighth and then walked Rodriguez to load the bases. He was relieved by Bill Simas, who promptly served up a grand slam on the first pitch to Martinez.

It was Martinez's third grand slam of the season.

In the second game, Rodriguez sparked the Mariners with a solo homer in the fourth inning that traveled 458 feet, the longest of the year. Seattle then broke out for a big fifth inning.

Lorenzo Barcelo, making his first start in the majors, loaded the bases by walking Rickey Henderson. Barcelo was relieved by Mark Buehrle (1-1), but Cameron hit the first pitch down the left-field line for a two-run double.

Henderson scored on a fielder's choice and Cameron scored on an error to put the Mariners ahead 6-5. Cameron added a solo homer in the ninth.

"Long day," Piniella said. "But it was worth it, I can tell you that."

Game notes
Henderson was caught stealing twice in the second game. ... White Sox CF Jeff Abbott was ejected in seventh inning of the first game for arguing with first base umpire Derryl Cousins after being called out at first. ... Seattle's Al Martin matched his career high with four hits in the first game. ... The Mariners acquired C Chris Widger from the Montreal Expos before the first game in a waiver trade for two players to be named. ... White Sox RHP Cal Eldred, on the DL since July 17 with nerve irritation in his elbow, threw long toss from 60 and 90 feet without any problems. He'll rest Wednesday and throw again Thursday.
 


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RECAPS
Seattle 12
Chi. White Sox 4

Seattle 7
Chi. White Sox 5

(2nd game)

Texas 11
Cleveland 2

Detroit 4
Baltimore 1

NY Yankees 4
Oakland 3

Tampa Bay 5
Minnesota 0

Toronto 6
Kansas City 1

Anaheim 2
Boston 1

Atlanta 5
Cincinnati 4

Philadelphia 10
San Diego 4

Houston 9
NY Mets 3

Florida 7
St. Louis 0

Colorado 6
Pittsburgh 1

Montreal 9
Arizona 3

Los Angeles 7
Chicago Cubs 5

San Francisco 1
Milwaukee 0