SEATTLE – Earlier in July, Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima walked passed John McLaren right as the manager was discussing his plan to give Johjima regular rest on day games following night games.
Johjima overheard his manager’s press conference and interrupted with a smile, saying, “No, I play day games.”
On Saturday afternoon, a sore neck for backup catcher Jamie Burke forced Johjima to do just that, and he came through with a score-tying two-run home run that helped the Mariners beat Oakland 4-3 in front of 41,260 fans at Safeco Field.
After the game, Johjima continued to tease his manager about playing time.
“I’m very happy that my skipper used me in a day game,” he said through an interpreter while McLaren was within earshot.
Johjima then added, in English, “Good job skipper.”
Johjima’s second-inning blast, a go-ahead home run by Yuniesky Betancourt three innings later, and a strong performance by the bullpen helped the Mariners win their second straight after dropping seven in a row.
J.J. Putz closed out the game in dominating fashion, striking out four of the five batters he faced in a four-out save. It was Putz’s first outing since Wednesday when he blew his first save opportunity of the season.
Any nerves Putz might have had about the last outing apparently left his system on the first warm-up pitch, which sailed over Johjima to the backstop.
“It was bound to happen at some point,” Putz said of the blown save. “You just forget about it. I got on the plane and fell asleep, so I wasn’t really thinking about it.”
And that errant warm-up toss?
“I was a little too amped up on that one,” he said.
Putz’s performance capped a strong night for the bullpen, which gave up one hit and no runs in three innings to preserve the win for Horacio Ramirez.
Ramirez, who has been great at home and terrible on the road this season, struggled in the second inning as Oakland scored three runs on a Donnie Murphy double. Ramirez, who improved to 6-3, managed to gut out four shutout innings after that.
“Horacio really battled hard,” said McLaren. “His last inning might have been the best inning he threw the whole game. He was spent. To his credit, he kept us in the game. He was able to hang in there and give us a real, real solid effort.”
Ramirez was followed by Chris Reitsma, Sean Green, George Sherrill, Mark Lowe and Putz, who made the one-run lead stand up. Lowe, who faced two batters, recording a fly out and a walk, was making his first appearance since coming back from elbow surgery that ended his 2006 season early.
With the score still tied at three in the bottom of the fifth, Yuniesky Betancourt hit a line drive over the left field wall to give the Mariners a 4-3 lead. It was his fifth home run of the year, and his first since May 22.
After Lowe walked Murphy to give the Athletics two on with two outs in the eighth, McLaren went to his closer. Putz struck out pinch hitter Jack Cust to end the threat, then struck out Shannon Stewart and Mark Kotsay in the ninth before walking Nick Swisher. Putz then struck out Mike Piazza to end the game and earn his 30th save of the season.
Putz had converted all 29 of his save opportunities this year before Wednesday’s loss. Saturday also marked his ninth multi-inning save of the season, and the first time in his career that he has struck out four batters in a single save opportunity.
“Well, J.J. started another streak today,” McLaren said. “That doesn’t surprise any of us … That little thing in Texas happened and that’s over with.”
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