Bullpen trio closes win over Tribe with a thud

By Rich Myhre

Herald Writer

SEATTLE — Starting pitcher Jamie Moyer did his part, giving up just one run in six innings before handing the ball to his bullpen Monday afternoon.

And the Seattle Mariners relief corps responded handsomely, closing out a 3-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians in the decisive fifth game of the American League Division Series.

The Mariners are advancing to the AL Championship Series for a lot of reasons — solid starting pitching, steady defense and enough offense to win — but their bullpen was superb when it counted. That was evidenced Monday at Safeco Field when relievers Jeff Nelson, Arthur Rhodes and Kazuhiro Sasaki retired nine of 10 hitters they faced with five strikeouts and no runs.

It was a virtual repeat of what happened in Game 4 at Cleveland’s Jacobs Field. That same threesome checked the Indians over the final 2 2/3 innings on Sunday, giving up just one hit and no runs in Seattle’s 6-2 victory.

Two win-or-go-home games for the Mariners, two almost flawless performances by the bullpen.

Monday’s game "was really a great baseball game, and pitching and defense were a big part of it," said Seattle catcher Dan Wilson. "Our trademark has been pitching (this season), both in our starters and in the bullpen. Today we got an outstanding effort from all those guys. That’s been a formula for us all year."

Moyer tantalized the Indians through six innings, keeping them off balance with an assortment of curves, changeups and occasional sliders. He gave way to Nelson in the seventh and the tall right-hander was simply overpowering. Mixing a sizzling fastball with a sharp slider, Nelson retired Cleveland in order in the seventh with two strikeouts. In the eighth he struck out another two before yielding a single up the middle to Indians catcher Einar Diaz.

"I think (Nelson) threw the ball as well as I’ve seen him in a long, long time," said Seattle manager Lou Piniella. "He’s done a very fine job all year, but today he was exceptional."

With left-handed Kenny Lofton at the plate, Piniella called on Rhodes, a southpaw. The result was an inning-ending flyout to center field.

And in the ninth, with 47,867 expectant fans on their feet, clapping and cheering, Mariners closer Sasaki was summoned from the pen. He threw two strikes past Omar Vizquel before coaxing the Cleveland shortstop to bounce out to first base. Roberto Alomar was next and he fanned on just four pitches.

With blue skies appearing through the midday haze over the stadium, Indians slugger Juan Gonzalez stepped to the plate. Sasaki quickly gained an 0-2 advantage. On the next pitch, Gonzalez lashed a sharp bouncer to David Bell at third base, and his throw across the field was in time for the game-ending out.

"Our back was against the wall three times in this series," Nelson said. "We were down 1-0 and we had to win Game 2. We were down 2-1 and we had to win Game 4 and we had to win (Monday). It just shows the kind of players we have.

"We played a tough Cleveland team and we were fortunate to go on to the next level. And now I think that mental toughness will carry us the rest of the way. We’re going to play another tough team, and we know when our back is against the wall we can handle it."

The Mariners face a tall assignment in the AL Championship Series, but their chances are greatly enhanced by what is probably the best bullpen in baseball. With Nelson and Rhodes as setup men for Sasaki, any lead Seattle can take to the seventh inning is usually in good hands. Together they totaled a 12-7 record with 52 saves and a 2.57 earned run average in 200 regular-season innings. Their postseason numbers are even better — 8 2/3 innings with no runs given up.

"There’s no mistake about it, Nelson, Rhodes and Sasaki are studs," said fellow reliever Norm Charlton. "And the supporting cast down there has done their jobs, too."

Nelson and Rhodes, Charlton added, "have better stuff than most of the closers (in baseball). But both of them would rather be on a team that won 116 games than on a .500 team with 30 saves. They could be closers on other teams. They’ve got the stuff and they’ve got the attitudes. But I think they’re really happy to be on this team because they’re winning."