Opponent: Boston Red Sox
When: 10:05 a.m.
Where: Fenway Park, Boston
TV: FSN (cable)
Radio: KIRO (710 AM)
Probable pitchers: Seattle right-hander James Baldwin (3-3, 4.93 ERA) vs. right-hander Pedro Martinez (5-0, 3.09)
They had played 40 games before a pitch was thrown in Fenway Park on Friday, about as close to a fourth of their schedule as the Seattle Mariners could be.
Or not.
“When we get to the fifth inning tonight, that’ll be a quarter of the season,” Bret Boone said before the 41st game. “And if I get two RBI before the fifth inning, I’ll be on pace to drive in 120 … “
In a season 162 games long, 40 games is about the quarter pole in a long, long race, and the Mariners got to that mark with a 28-12 record and a five-game lead in the American League West.
That record went to 29-12 and the lead over second-place Anaheim remained the same after Friday’s 6-3 victory at Boston.
“We’re in pretty good shape, considering,” manager Lou Piniella said.
Considering what?
“Considering we lost Edgar Martinez for five weeks, we’ve lost our No. 3 starting pitcher (Paul Abbott) and Jeff Nelson, our best right-handed setup man,” Piniella said. “Considering we’ve had trouble filling the rotation out consistently.”
Seven starting pitchers have started at least two games already this year, and an eighth is waiting in the wings: right-hander Rafael Soriano.
“We’re still looking for that one last ingredient for the rotation,” Piniella said. “It might be Abbott when he’s ready to pitch again. It might be Soriano. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t start a game for us next week.”
Seattle is on pace to win 112 games this year, startling considering the team hasn’t really played to its potential – at least according to the players.
“I don’t think guys like Boone and (Jeff) Cirillo and me are hitting like we can hit yet,” John Olerud said. “And I don’t think all our starting pitchers have really found a consistent rhythm yet.
“What’s happened is we’ve found ways to win games, and we’ve gotten an awful lot of big hits from guys like Carlos Guillen and Ruben Sierra.”
Boone got to the 40-game mark batting .263 with six home runs and 28 RBI.
“And I took a couple of weeks off,” he said, laughing. “The way this team has played, we haven’t taken many 4-0 leads into the eighth inning – but we’ve scratched out a lot of wins.
“I really don’t think we’ve played that well, yet. I think we can play better.”
Piniella was asked if, after 80 games, he’d take the same winning percentage (.700) the Mariners had in their first 40 games.
“Pleased? I’d be ecstatic,” he said. “We need to get healthy, we need to steady a few areas, but we’ve put ourselves in a good position these first 40 games.”
Sasaki denies divorce report: Kazuhiro Sasaki and wife Kaori have had better days than Friday, when one Japanese newspaper reported that the reason the Mariners reliever left the team last week was due to a pending divorce – not an illness.
Sasaki said the report was untrue, but that it had changed his wife’s life immediately. Apparently the media in Japan has staked out the couple’s home, hoping for comment from Kaori. Sasaki, who is loathe to talk about personal matters, said he and his wife are fine. “But if we were not, why would it be anyone else’s business?” he asked.
Injury update: Abbott has now played catch twice since going on the disabled list and is expected to throw in the bullpen for the first time Tuesday at Safeco Field. It’s unlikely he’ll pitch again before June 1. … Catcher Dan Wilson tested his bruised right wrist by taking batting practice for the first time in two days. Wilson could play Sunday, but it’s as likely the Mariners will give him the extra day off and let him play when the homestand begins on Tuesday in Seattle.
Old pals: Piniella spent 10 minutes before the game chatting with former Red Sox starter Luis Tiant, a special coaching assistant with Boston. Not only did the two have plenty of matchups in their respective careers, but they were teammates twice.
“I was with Luis briefly in Cleveland,” Piniella said. “And again in New York. The man could pitch.”
Larry LaRue
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