Javier’s hit was sweet as Mariners keep kicking

  • Kirby Arnold / Herald Writer
  • Sunday, October 14, 2001 9:00pm
  • Sports

By Kirby Arnold

Herald Writer

CLEVELAND – It wasn’t just the Seattle Mariners’ season that was one loss from ending. Stan Javier had a career at stake.

“Before the game, I told Jay Buhner that this might be my last in uniform,” said Javier, who will retire when the season ends. “I thought about it a lot while it was raining.”

Javier ensured that his 21-year professional career will last at least one more day.

He fought through the mental stress of a two-hour 20-minute rain delay, then sparked a three-run rally in the seventh inning that launched the Mariners to a 6-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians in Game 4 of the American League Division Series at Jacobs Field.

The victory tied the series at 2-2, but gave the Mariners a mental edge.

The fifth and deciding game is today at Safeco Field, and the M’s will send left-hander Jamie Moyer to the mound hoping he can repeat the magic that beat the Indians 5-1 in Game 2 on Thursday.

He can thank Javier and a revived Mariners offense for the opportunity.

With Cleveland leading 1-0 after Juan Gonzalez’s second-inning home run, John Olerud drew a leadoff walk in the seventh.

Manager Lou Piniella called for a hit-and-run, Olerud broke for second, Javier lunged for a 1-1 pitch from Indians starter Bartolo Colon and, suddenly, the Mariners were back into the small-ball game that they haven’t been able to play in this series.

“We had to put the game in motion to see if we could get something going,” Piniella said. “You put the ball in play on the ground the way you’re supposed to, and the worst thing that can happen is that you get a man on second with one out.”

Javier threw his bat at a low outside fastball, but made just enough contact to roll the ball through the hole left by Indians shortstop Omar Vizquel, who had moved toward second base when Olerud started to run.

“Over the last two years, Lou has called a lot of hit and runs,” Javier said. “I wasn’t surprised. Colon is so quick that I was thinking, ‘I hope he throws one down.’ He threw one away and I threw my bat at it.”

Colon, hoping to surprise Olerud, then made an ill-advised pickoff move. His throw sailed wide of Vizquel and into center field, allowing Olerud to reach third.

Mike Cameron walked and pinch-hitter Al Martin hit a ground ball that forced out Olerud at the plate. It still left the bases loaded, and David Bell drove a sacrifice fly deep into the left field corner – in foul territory – that scored Javier with the tying run.

By then, the Mariners had figured out Colon.

The dominating Game 1 winner had thrown 14 straight scoreless innings to set an AL Division Series record, including the first six Sunday when he allowed three Seattle hits.

“We hit some balls nice and hard and they made some nice defensive plays early,” Piniella said. “And then he settled down and I said, ‘Oh boy, here we go.’”

History, however, was on the Mariners’ side. They had a 5-3 record in postseason games in which they faced elimination, and the Indians were just 4-5 in Colon’s first start this season after he had pitched eight or more innings.

So when Ichiro Suzuki batted in the seventh with two outs, the score tied 1-1 and two runners on base, he continued his phenomenal series.

Suzuki singled to right, driving home Cameron with the second of the three hits that gave him a .563 series batting average. Mark McLemore smacked another single to right, his first of the series, scoring Martin.

Not only did the Mariners lead 3-1, they were looking more like themselves.

Cleveland scored once in the bottom of the seventh, but Olerud singled and Cameron drove him in with a double high off the center-field wall for a 4-2 lead in the eighth.

Then Edgar Martinez added a huge exclamation point.

With Suzuki on first and reliever Paul Shuey having just arrived at the mound, Martinez nearly sent the ball into the parking garage behind the stadium in left field. He hit Shuey’s first pitch down the line and onto an elevated walkway – appropriately known as the Home Run Porch – that leads from the stadium to the garage. It was estimated at 458 feet.

“The funny thing is I was trying to make contact, hit it hard somewhere and hopefully hit it back up the middle,” Martinez said. “I got my best swing probably ever. That ball I hit today is the longest I’ve ever hit.”

With a 6-2 lead, Kazuhiro Sasaki struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth inning that completed what Freddy Garcia started, a dominant pitching performance when the Mariners needed it most.

Garcia, the Game 1 loser against Colon, gave up just four hits in 6 1/3innings and relievers Jeff Nelson, Arthur Rhodes and Sasaki held the Indians to just one more hit.

“Our guys played well today,” Piniella said, one day after the M’s played their worst in a 17-2 loss. “We got good pitching, we got good defense, we got some timely hitting.

“And,” Piniella added with no less emphasis, “we’re taking it home.”

Home to a matchup of 38-year-old left-handers – Moyer vs. Chuck Finley – that the Mariners won four days ago.

“It’s down to one game now,” Piniella said. “We’re going to have the home crowd behind us. It’s going to be exciting. Both teams will play their hearts out.

“Our job was to get it there tomorrow and that’s what we’ve done. Now hopefully we’ll be the team to take it to the next level.”

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