M’s lose second straight to Yanks

  • Kirby Arnold / Herald Writer
  • Thursday, October 18, 2001 9:00pm
  • Sports

By Kirby Arnold

Herald Writer

SEATTLE — Lou Piniella walked down a corridor beneath Safeco Field, stopped near a group of reporters and made a bold prediction.

"We’re going to be back here to play Game 6," the Seattle Mariners’ manager said with fire in his eyes and an edge to his voice. "You don’t have to ask any questions. Just print it."

Ten minutes earlier, the chances of another baseball game this year at the Mariners’ home park seemed remote as the New York Yankees finished off a 3-2 victory in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series.

It gave the Yankees a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, which moves to New York for Game 3 today. No team has ever come back to win a league championship series after losing the first two at home. Only two teams in history, the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers and the 1985 Kansas City Royals, have come back to win the ALCS after losing the first two games.

The task is especially tough for the Mariners, who must win at least two of three games at Yankee Stadium just to bring the series back to Seattle for Games 6 and 7.

When the players heard about Piniella’s brazen words, they rallied around them.

"I love it," shortstop Mark McLemore said. "Guys say things, but when it comes from the manager, we love that. He knows we can play better, and so do we."

Piniella’s frustration was borne from a second straight game of missed opportunities by Mariner hitters. Stopped by the Yankees on four hits in Game 1, they managed six hits Thursday but failed numerous times when they had opportunities to score.

Stan Javier’s two-run home run in the fourth inning accounted for all of the Mariners’ scoring. The lack of production wasted a solid pitching performance by Mariners starter Freddy Garcia, who held the Yankees to seven hits and three runs in 7 1/3 innings.

"Our pitchers are doing a good job," Piniella said. "We’ve held this team to seven runs in two ballgames, and that’s pretty darned good. We just haven’t put runs on the board. But that can change. You can start swinging the bat and get on a roll. It only takes one game."

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