MARINERS: Snubbed Segui takes it out on Rockies
Sun | Sports
By Gordon Wittenmyer, For The Sun — Jul 2nd, 1998
* David Segui hits two home runs and Ken Griffey Jr. belts his 34th as the Mariners erupt for 16 hits and a 9-5 win.
SEATTLE - If Cleveland manager Mike Hargrove was watching, Seattle first-baseman David Segui offered something to think about on the way to Tuesday's All-Star Game in Denver.
Maybe even a second thought.
On the day he learned he was left off the American League All-Star team, Segui slammed two home runs. Those round-trippers, estimated to travel more than 420 feet each, drove in three runs and led the Mariners to a 9-5 interleague victory over the Colorado Rockies at the Kingdome on Wednesday night.
They were Segui's 13th and 14th homers of the year. He also raised his batting average to .330 and now has 59 runs batted in.
"It's not that important to me," said Segui, repeating the response to the All-Star snub that he had voiced prior to the game. "We swung the bats well, played good defense and got good pitching. We haven't done that much this season."
Whether or not Segui made his case with Hargrove, Ken Griffey Jr. showed that 4 million fans can't all be wrong. Baseball's leading vote-getter went 4 for 5 with three doubles and his league-leading 34th home run of the season.
The Mariners pounded Colorado rookie pitcher Mike Saipe, who was making only his second career major-league start, for 13 hits and all nine runs in less than five innings.
In all, Mariner hitters finished with 16 hits, including four home runs and seven doubles.
"It's a good way to start the new month," manager Lou Piniella said. "I hope this month brings better results than the month of June."
The Mariners tied their worst June in history (8-20) as opposing pitchers posted a 2.16 earned run average against frustrated Seattle batters.
But on Wednesday, the top seven hitters in the Mariner order each had at least two hits, including cleanup hitter Edgar Martinez. Seattle's designated hitter gave the Mariners a 2-1 lead in the first with a two-run homer. He barely missed a second homer of the game in the fifth when a drive to the top of the wall in right-center was caught by a fan - resulting in an interference ruling and ground-rule double. It nonetheless brought home Griffey from second and ignited a four-run inning.
The barrage carried Mariner starter Ken Cloude (4-7) to his first win since April 24. He had lost six straight decisions since then, and the Mariners had gone 2-9 in his 11 starts in that span.
Cloude pitched into the sixth inning, allowing four earned runs. After an unearned run in the first inning, he retired eight straight batters until Vinny Castilla and Todd Helton homered off him as the Rockies scored three runs in the fourth.
Relievers Greg McCarthy, Bobby Ayala and Mike Timlin combined to pitch shutout ball over the final 3 2/3 innings, allowing only three hits.
Griffey's two-run homer in the third gave him homers in three straight games and in six of his past eight.
It also tied him with Frank Howard (1969 Washington Senators) for the third-highest total by the All-Star break. Mark McGwire of St. Louis has 37, tying him with Reggie Jackson (Oakland, '69) for most by the break.
It also was the 328th homer of Griffey's career, tying him with Chili Davis for 62nd all-time. Next up is Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg (331).
Seattle 9,
Colorado at Seattle
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