Johnson’s Perfect Game Ruined By Ex-Roommate

And that’s for snoring so loud, roomie.

As Mariners starter Randy Johnson cruised through the first five innings with a perfect game, the least likely candidate to break up the no-hitter seemed to be Rex Hudler. After all, the Angels’ second baseman was hitting ninth in the order with a modest .264 average.

But he was also among the hottest of the Angels, with a four-hit game Friday and a 2-for-3 effort Sunday. He also came into the game with a .417 lifetime average against Johnson.

What’s more, he was the Big Unit’s former roommate.

“It was in (Triple-A) Indianapolis when I was with the Expos,” said Johnson. “As he hit the ball through the right side of the infield and he was running to first base, he was yelling, ‘I got you, Randy, I got you.’

“It’s very fitting for him to let me know that.”

After giving up Hudler’s single, Johnson retired the next four batters before Chili Davis walked to lead off the eighth. Johnson didn’t go to a three-ball count on a batter until Jim Edmonds worked him for a 3-2 count in the seventh before flying out to center field.

The pitching plan

New York celebrated winning the wild card spot in the American League playoffs after beating Toronto on Sunday - but what the Yankees really may have been celebrating was Seattle’s closing-day loss. That’s because it meant M’s manager Lou Piniella would have to trot out Johnson to face the Angels instead of saving him for the opening game of the best-of-five.

“You know, the Yankees have a huge advantage,” Piniella acknowledged. “I don’t want to sound like Sparky Anderson now - you know, we’re flying across country, we shouldn’t show up.

“But they’re rested, they’re sitting at home. But you know what? Adrenaline is a big factor in these. We’ll be ready.”

Chris Bosio will get the start for Seattle today, followed by Andy Benes on Wednesday. And after that?

“We’ll decide then what to do with the three and four games,” Piniella said. “We’ve got some time. If it’s 1-1 after two games, I would probably pitch (Johnson) in Game 4.”

Eerie similarities

This was only the third playoff to determine a champion in American League history. The last, of course, was in 1978, when Bucky Dent’s home run gave the Yankees a 5-4 win over Boston. Piniella was New York’s right fielder that day.

“It’s a good comparison,” he said. “That year, Ron Guidry was my teammate and was 25-3 and won the Cy Young. Here we’ve got Randy who’s 18-2 and should win the Cy Young. (Angels starter Mark) Langston had pitched for the Mariners before, and the kid that was pitching for Boston, Mike Torrez, had pitched for the Yankees. And both teams (New York and Seattle) had come from way back to force the playoff.

“And we had the same results, which was the best thing.”

Damn Yankees

The prospect of playing his old club - and facing his former boss, owner George Steinbrenner, who made life hellish on Piniella when Lou managed the club, isn’t particularly daunting on the M’s skipper.

“I’m happy for those guys, particularly Don Mattingly,” Piniella said. “He’s been a great player who deserves a chance to play in the postseason - and I would like to be there to see him experience it first hand.”

Another Mariner with Yankee connections is Mike Blowers, who had three different cups of coffee in New York before being traded to Seattle in 1991 for Jim Blueberg. Like Piniella, Blowers is especially happy for Mattingly.

“He helped me immensely in my career,” Blowers said, “and he definitely deserves to be in the playoffs. I just hope it’s a one-rounder for him, to be honest. Make it one round and we move on and that’d be great.”

Quote book

Seattle’s win earned the team the A.L. West division title.

Although it comes in the wake of a “no” vote by King County voters on a new-stadium referendum.

Ken Griffey Jr. couldn’t help but bring up the sore topic.

“Yeah, it’ll be nice to get that (championship) banner,” Griffey said. “Let’s just hope we have a stadium to hang it up in.”

The Angels’ rally this week after a dramatic September swoon, helped the team save face.

Although Chili Davis said he has stopped bothering to read about the team in the newspapers.

“We’ve been dogged for so long - all season - that I won’t even read newspapers and magazines anymore. To me, newspapers are just a waste of a good tree.”

Isn’t there a no-smoking regulation in King County facilities?

It was waived for a while Monday as most of the Mariners and staff fired up cigars.

Woodward’s cigar was not only soaked by the champagne that flew throughout the locker room, but it also had aged quite a bit.

“I’ve carried this cigar all through Texas (where the Mariners failed to clinch the title),” Woodward said. “I had to wait to light up, but it’s very satisfying now.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo