By KIRBY ARNOLD
Herald Writer
SEATTLE — Lou Piniella talked early Friday afternoon about how difficult it is to score at Safeco Field, and how runs came in bunches at the Kingdome.
Oh, could Piniella and the Seattle Mariners use the old dome at a time like this.
Home plate continued to seem like a long-lost destination Friday night when the Mariners suffered an 8-2 loss to the New York Yankees in the third game of the American League Championship Series.
Their two runs came despite 10 hits.
"I don’t know how that happens," Mariners shortstop Alex Rodriguez said.
It happened, and now the Mariners face a desperate situation in today’s game. They trail the Yankees 2-1 in the best-of-seven series and face a future Hall of Fame pitcher, Roger Clemens, in Game 4 today.
"It’s not over," Mariners designated hitter Edgar Martinez said. "We feel we can win."
The Mariners scored single runs in the first and fifth innings, but wasted two opportunities to build a big lead against Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte.
They had runners at second and third with one out in the first inning, and again in the second, but couldn’t score. The Mariners smacked Pettitte around for nine of their 10 hits in the first five innings, but he wiggled out of trouble and won his fifth consecutive postseason game.
"It’s unfortunate we didn’t come through when we needed to," Mariners center fielder Mike Cameron said. "But the most important thing is that tomorrow is a new day."
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