Wednesday, May 23, 2001 (W: SEA 5 - MIN 4 33-12)

I had a whole post here, then Netscape 7.1 crashed on me (I...uh...I mean, Netscape 3.1, since it's 2001, and Netscape 7.1 hasn't been invented yet)!

Starting over...

Today was another exciting come from behind victory, as the M's exchanged leads with the Twins several times before emerging with a 5-4 win.

Sasaki looked great, as he came in with only one out in the 8th and the bases loaded to get two quick outs. He then pitched a perfect 9th for his 18th save of the season. He looks healthy again; this was the 4th time this year he's pitched more than an inning.

The game went back and forth several times. Edgar put the M's up early with a solo shot in the top of the first. Torii Hunter answered back with a 3-run HR in the bottom of the 2nd off of M's starter Freddy Garcia. The Mariners clawed back with single runs in the 4th and 6th, before going back ahead with another single run in the 7th. Minnesota's exciting 21-year old rookie Luis Rivas chased Freddy off the mound in the bottom of the 7th with a DEEP sacrifice fly to tie it up at four.

Struggling David Bell, hitting only .185 coming into the game, hit a HR in the top of the 8th to put the M's ahead for good.

The Twins tried to make it interesting, loading the bases in the 8th before Sasaki came in and shut the door.

On Saturday, I wrote that you'll know Al Martin isn't okay if he starts telling crazy football stories. Based on that diagnosis, I think he'll be out a bit longer, as he told Bob Finnigan a very interesting one. From today's Times:

Outfielder Al Martin said the last time he had his bell rung like it was Saturday, when shortstop Carlos Guillen inadvertently kicked him in the head, was in 1986.

Back then he was playing strong safety for USC in a football game against Michigan.

"For some reason, probably because I was young and dumb, I decided I could make a head-on stop of Leroy Hoard," Martin said. "I hit him, or rather he hit me. You remember those big tree-trunk legs Hoard had? That's what hit me."

I checked. USC didn't play Michigan in '86. They played in the Rose Bowl in '88 and '89, and Hoard ran for over 100 yards in both games (he didn't get any carries in their first '88 matchup). I guess Martin's still a little dizzy, and he got his years confused. What's interesting about Martin is, he was drafted in 1985 by the Braves, and was playing A-ball in '88 and '89. Why he risked his future major league career by playing college football at the same time, I don't know. I can't find a box score that shows USC stats, so I don't know if Martin ever actually brought Hoard down for a tackle.

I can't fault Martin for saying dumb things with a concussion. I met my girlfriend when I had a concussion from a college football practice. Talk about dumb! (She doesn't like baseball, so I'm not worried about her reading this.) We've been together 3-1/2 years, so maybe Al Martin will meet his next wife this week.

The M's get another day off tomorrow, before going to Kansas City for a four-game weekend series.