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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
SEATTLE (AP) – Coming back to Safeco Field was a mistake for
Alex Rodriguez. Two of them.
|  | | Alex Rodriguez watches a called third strike delivered by Jamie Moyer in the fourth inning. |
The $252 million shortstop made two errors and went 1-for-3 at
the plate as his Texas Rangers lost to Seattle Mariners for the
second straight day, 6-4, Tuesday night.
"We didn't execute," a frustrated Rodriguez said. "We had our
opportunities. All I'm looking for is wins and execution. I wasn't
happy with the way we played and I wasn't happy with the way I
played."
John Olerud and Carlos Guillen hit two-run homers for the
Mariners, 4-1 against Texas this season and 11-3 overall, the best
start in their history.
Ichiro Suzuki, a seven-time batting champion in Japan, went
4-for-4 with a triple and an RBI, raising his batting average to
.377. The right fielder robbed Rafael Palmeiro of a possible home
run in the second, catching a drive at the top of the fence.
While the crowd of 34,536 lustily booed Rodriguez for the second
straight game, it chanted "Ichiro! Ichiro!" before his triple.
Fans then gave him a standing ovation after it.
Suzuki said through a translator that he understood fans'
reaction to Rodriguez.
"It is very tough for a ballplayer to get proud and to keep his
dignity," Suzuki said. "There is not much difference between love
and hate."
Rodriguez, a four-time All-Star, threw low to first on Edgar
Martinez's first-inning grounder and misplayed Mike Cameron's
grounder in the seventh. Rodriguez has three errors in 15 games;
last year, he had 10 in 148.
Rodriguez is 2-for-8 during his first series in Seattle with
Texas and 6-for-19 (.316) with no homers and two RBI in the five
games against the Mariners. In 10 other games this season, he's
13-for-36 (.361) with four homers and 13 RBI.
There were more signs deriding Rodriguez and one fan stood up in
the fourth holding a throw rug-sized poster designed to look like a dollar
bill.
There also were real dollar bills with "A Wad" written on them
that floated down from the upper decks.
"We have to rebound and come up with a crisp performance
tomorrow night, like we played in Oakland," said Rodriguez, whose
Rangers swept a series against the Athletics before coming to
Seattle. "Tomorrow night will be a big game for us."
A subdued Rodriguez sat slumped in a chair in front of his
cubicle about 45 minutes after the game.
"I want to beat the heck out of you guys, that's all I want to
do," he told the Seattle media. "I'm a Texas Ranger now. I'm very
proud to be one. Maybe we can start a new rivalry. Who knows?"
Olerud left the New York Mets as a free agent after the 1999
season to return to Seattle, his native city.
"It's too bad it has to be like this," Olerud said of the
fans' treatment of Rodriguez. "I think they're just frustrated
because he's such a great player and they hated to see him leave.
But it's been pretty rough. I feel bad for him."
Olerud gave the Mariners a 2-0 lead in the first when he homered
for the first time this season following Rodriguez's first error.
Guillen hit his first homer of the season in the second after Al
Martin, off to a 1-for-24 start, singled and stole second.
Jamie Moyer (2-0) allowed four runs and six hits in 6 2/3
innings to beat Texas for the first time in seven starts since July
10, 1999. He gave up a two-run homer to Ken Caminiti in the fifth
after inning Ivan Rodriguez's single.
Rick Helling (0-3) gave up six runs -- four earned -- and 10 hits
in 6 1/3 innings, his first loss in 12 starts to Seattle since May
21, 1995. He allowed a double to Mark McLemore and Suzuki's RBI
single for Seattle's fifth run in the fifth.
Trailing 5-2, the Rangers chased Moyer on Ruben Mateo's RBI
double with two out in the seventh. Rusty Greer followed with an
RBI single off Arthur Rhodes.
Kazuhiro Sasaki pitched the ninth inning for his major
league-leading seventh save in eight opportunities.
Rodriguez's second error allowed Suzuki to score from third.
Game notes
Texas manager Johnny Oates was ejected for the first time
this season. Plate umpire Dan Morrison threw him out when Oates
came out to take Helling out in the seventh after Suzuki's triple.
Oates apparently was arguing balls and strikes. He would not talk
about the reason for his ejection after the game. ... Suzuki
extended his hitting streak to 12 games to tie the franchise's
record for a rookie. Ricky Nelson (1983) and Danny Tartabull (1986)
also did it. ... The Mariners' homers were their first of the
season at Safeco Field.
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Caple: Seattle fans sound off at A-Rod
RECAPS
Cleveland 8
Baltimore 1
Detroit 7
Chi. White Sox 4
Toronto 6
NY Yankees 5
Boston 10
Tampa Bay 0
Minnesota 6
Kansas City 5
Oakland 5
Anaheim 1
Seattle 6
Texas 4
Philadelphia 6
Chicago Cubs 3
Cincinnati 3
Milwaukee 2
Houston 0
Pittsburgh 0
NY Mets 4
Montreal 0
Florida 3
Atlanta 2
Arizona 17
St. Louis 4
Colorado 9
San Diego 5
San Francisco 3
Los Angeles 2
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