Davis Only Wants To Change His Luck

Russ Davis would still do it the same way. He’d still slide hard into Joe Girardi and he’d still chase the foul popup in Kansas City.

He was just unlucky.

“I’m hoping all the bads are behind me,” the Seattle Mariners third baseman said. “I’m hoping I can move on and have a healthy career from here on in.”

Davis, acquired in the December 1995 trade that sent Tino Martinez and Jeff Nelson to the New York Yankees, had a breakthrough season last year, but - for the second year in a row - it didn’t last long enough for him.

For the second straight season, he wound up on the disabled list with an injury, this time a severely sprained right ankle from a home-plate collision with Yankees catcher Girardi on Aug. 24 in Seattle.

In 1996, Davis’ first season with the Mariners, he fractured his left fibula June 7 when his spikes caught on a warning track as he chased a ball in foul territory in Kansas City.

“I’m not going to change my game plan,” he said. “I’m going to continue to play the game hard.”

Before Davis was hurt last season, he became the Mariners’ version of Mr. Clutch with four game-ending hits, including home runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 14 and against Baltimore on Aug. 5.

Davis, who had been stuck behind Wade Boggs in New York, hit .271 in 119 games with a career-best 20 home runs and 63 RBIs.

Davis wasn’t able to get back for the Mariners’ first-round playoff series against the Orioles. In his place, manager Lou Piniella used Mike Blowers, Andy Sheets and Brent Gates. They were a combined 2 for 12 with no homers or RBIs.

The Mariners lost the series 3-1 and Blowers, Sheets and Gates are no longer with the organization.

Ken Griffey Jr. had three hits, including a two-run triple that capped a five-run seventh inning as the Mariners rallied to beat the Colorado Rockies 8-5 Friday night at Tucson, Ariz.

Mark Thompson, recovering from off-season shoulder surgery, allowed three hits in four scoreless innings to all but secure the No. 5 spot in the Colorado rotation.

Thompson left with a 4-0 lead before Colorado’s bullpen collapsed. Jay Buhner hit a towering three-run homer off Bobby Jones in the fifth inning, and the Mariners added five runs against loser Dave Veres in the seventh.

‘El Duque’ seems fit

Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez passed a team physical at Tampa, Fla., clearing the way for the Cuban defector to begin pitching for the New York Yankees.

“Since I was a young boy, I always dreamed about playing for the New York Yankees,” Hernandez, wearing a pinstriped jersey with No. 52, said. “I left Cuba in search of freedom. What greater freedom than being a New York Yankee.”

The former Cuban national team ace will begin working out with the Yankees today.

Karros may need surgery

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Eric Karros, bothered by persistent pain in his left knee, returned to Los Angeles for an examination to determine if surgery is needed.

It was not certain how long Karros would be out, but similar problems have been known to sideline players anywhere from two weeks to an entire season.

Karros will be checked Monday. If necessary, he will undergo arthroscopic surgery.

The 30-year-old cleanup hitter has had at least 30 homers and 100 RBIs for three straight years.

Dykstra schedules exam

Center fielder Lenny Dykstra is scheduled to have his lower back examined on Tuesday by Dr. Robert Watkins in Los Angeles. A CAT scan performed Wednesday in Clearwater, Fla., showed a pinched nerve in Dykstra’s back.

Drabek dominates

Doug Drabek, projected to be the fifth starter in the Baltimore Orioles’ rotation, allowed one hit over six shutout innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers, although the Dodgers won 3-2.

The right-hander yielded an infield hit to leadoff hitter Eric Young in the first inning, then followed a fielder’s choice with a pickoff before retiring the final 16 batters. That gave Drabek 15 scoreless innings over his last three starts. He has allowed just one walk in 18 innings.

Todd Zeile won it for the Dodgers with a three-run, eighth-inning homer.

Mitchell goes deep

Kevin Mitchell homered twice in his debut with Oakland and the Athletics went on to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3.

Mitchell, who was signed by the A’s on March 8, played his first game with the major league club and was 2 for 4.

Gates swings freely

Brent Gates had five hits, including three doubles, and drove in five runs to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 14-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

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