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Mariners Win 5-4 On Wild Pitch Rookie’s Gaffe Gives Seattle Victory, Moving M’S Within Three Of Texas

Associated Press

Mike Holtz, making his major-league debut, threw a wild pitch with two outs in the bottom of the 12th inning Thursday night that allowed Paul Sorrento to score from third base and gave the Seattle Mariners a 5-4 victory over the California Angels.

Sorrento opened the 12th with a single and was balked to second by Rich Monteleone (0-3). Dan Wilson’s infield out moved Sorrento to third, and Holtz relieved Monteleone. Holtz, who was called up from Double-A Midland earlier in the day, struck out Darren Bragg.

But with the count 1-1 on Doug Strange, Holtz threw a pitch in the dirt that got past catcher Pat Borders and bounced toward the California dugout.

Rafael Carmona (6-0) pitched 3-1/3 shutout innings.

The Mariners cut Texas’ lead in the A.L. West to three games.

The Angels tied the score at 4-4 in the ninth off Mike Jackson when Randy Velarde singled to lead off and scored on Gary DiSarcina’s double. Mariners shortstop Alex Rodriguez threw DiSarcina out at the plate on Borders’ ground ball for the second out of the inning.

The Mariners went ahead 4-3 with two outs in the eighth when Rodriguez doubled home Rich Amaral from first.

The Angels took a 3-0 lead after the fifth on sacrifice flies by Tim Salmon in the first and Darin Erstad in the second, and Chili Davis’ RBI double in the fifth.

Seattle tied the score at 3-3 with three runs in the fifth on Rodriguez’s two-run homer, his 18th, and Dan Wilson’s RBI bloop double.

Mark Langston went five innings for the Angels, giving up three runs.

Seattle starter Sterling Hitchcock lasted seven innings, allowing three runs.

Notes

Ken Griffey Jr. took batting practice with the Mariners before the game, his first batting practice since breaking a small bone in his right hand while fouling off a pitch against Toronto on June 19… . Randy Johnson, last year’s A.L. Cy Young Award winner for Seattle who has been out since May 12 because of a bulging disc, threw 40 pitches off the mound before Thursday night’s game and reported no discomfort in his back. He will throw off the mound again Saturday… . Langston has given up six homers in his last three starts and 15 homers in 15 starts this year… . Angels catcher Don Slaught left the game for a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning because of lower back spasms.