Mariners Bury Angels, 15-4, in Kingdome

A decade has passed since the Seattle Mariners cut the ribbon on a strange piece of architecture known as the Kingdome. At the time, the town’s civic leaders thought they were opening a major league baseball facility.

Obviously, the city of Seattle had no idea what it was getting into.

Part obstacle course, part pinball machine and part fun house, the Kingdome was the site of another baseball bloopers film festival during the Mariners’ 15-4 victory over the Angels Thursday night.

They do play baseball here. At least, that’s the intention. But what comes out of the Kingdome nightly is usually some mutant strain of the grand old game.

Abner Doubleday’s original rules never took into account such hazards as:

--Public address speakers. Ken Phelps, the Seattle designated hitter, lost a mammoth three-run home run in the first inning when his towering drive struck a overhanging speaker and then bounced foul.

--Roof streamers. Jim Presley, the Mariners’ third baseman, had to scramble to the pitcher’s mound and then to second base to glove an infield pop fly that got tangled in the roof’s red-white-and-blue hanging streamers, turning a routine out into a carnival ride.

--White baseballs flying against the background of a white roof. That’s how Devon White, the Angels’ slick-fielding center fielder, let another routine fly ball get away in the sixth inning. Phelps also hit this one, which White completely lost sight of, allowing it to bound over his head for a triple.

There were also doubles off the left-field wall that ricocheted so hard, the carom carried back to the infield (by Phelps), singles that ended three Seattle innings and two-run home runs by Presley and Alvin Davis--both of which avoided the overhead speakers.

The action started early and never let up as the Angels began a seven-game trip with one of their sloppiest losses of the season. As Angel Manager Gene Mauch called it, “This is the most forgettable game I can remember.”

Angel starter Willie Fraser (7-8) opened the game by loading the bases before getting an out. He walked John Moses, surrendered a single to Phil Bradley and walked Scott Bradley.

After striking out Alvin Davis, Fraser unleashed a wild pitch, bringing Moses home with Seattle’s first run.

Then, after striking out Presley, Fraser grooved a 1-1 pitch to Phelps. And Phelps hit it about as hard as a man can hit a baseball. The ball was headed for the hinterland of the Kingdome--way out where the upper-deck seats meet the roof--when it struck a suspended speaker hanging just inside the right-field foul pole.

A sure home run caromed off the speaker so hard that the ball landed in foul territory. And just like that, Phelps lost a tape-measure job and gained a strike on the count.

According to the ground rules of the Kingdome, “ . . . a batted ball hitting any suspended object, such as speakers, wires, streamers, etc., in fair territory shall be judged fair or foul in relation to where it lands or is touched by a fielder.” So, when Phelps’ shot ricocheted into foul ground, a 4-0 Mariner lead instantly reverted to 1-0, and Phelps was left with a 1-2 count.

Two pitches later, Phelps lined out to center field and Fraser had escaped, trailing by just a run.

“This kind of thing should not happen,” Phelps said. “It should not happen in the Kingdome, it should not happen in any ballpark.

“I hit it good. I knew it was gone, I knew it was fair. But where it would’ve landed, nobody will know.”

Phelps became the first man to bounce a ball off the right-field speaker. In 1980, Bob Watson of the New York Yankees hit two off the center-field speaker. After that, the Mariners decided to raise the speakers from 102 feet above the playing surface to 132 feet.

Phelps thinks they didn’t go far enough.

“If they have to raise them to the roof or take them down, they should do it,” Phelps said. “They should never come into play in a big league baseball game.”

Phelps would gain some satisfaction later, doubling home two runs in the fifth inning and tripling home another when White lost his fly ball in the roof or the lights.

In between the first and sixth innings, there were thrills and spills galore.

Along the way, Seattle scored a season-high 15 runs, amassed 17 hits and scored in every inning except the seventh.

There would have been more numbers on the board if the Angels had not thrown out two Mariners at the plate, another at third base and two attempting to steal second. Three of Seattle’s first four innings ended on singles.

--Second inning. After Harold Reynolds’ two-out triple off the right-field wall, Moses singled to center . . . and then was caught stealing by Angel catcher Bob Boone.

--Third inning. Following a two-run home run by Presley and a two-out double off the left-field wall by Phelps, Mike Kingery singled to left. Phelps tried to score from second base but was nailed at the plate by the relay of left fielder Brian Downing.

--Fourth inning. Scott Bradley’s two-out single to left field had just brought home another run when Phil Bradley, rounding second base, was caught in a rundown. Downing threw to third baseman Doug DeCinces, who threw to second baseman Mark McLemore, who made the tag to avoid further carnage.

By that time, Fraser (7-8) was long gone. Fraser lasted 2 innings, surrendering 4 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks.

Chuck Finley and Jack Lazorko combined to yield Seattle’s other 13 hits. Among them were a two-run homer by Davis, a triple by Phelps and doubles by Kingery and Reynolds in the sixth inning, and eighth-inning doubles by Presley and Kingery.

All that support finally made Mike Moore a winner for the fourth time in 1987. Moore pitched nine innings to improve his record to 4-14.

The only runs he allowed came on a single by Boone and a ground-out by Gus Polidor in the second inning, a ground-out by DeCinces in the third and a double by Darrell Miller in the ninth.

Mauch couldn’t believe his eyes, but he decided to complain no more.

“I’ve already said all the bad things there are to say about indoor baseball,” he said.

And the Angels only have six more games under the roofs of the Kingdome and the Metrodome.

Angel Notes

Now, the Angels have two aching left shoulders on the left side of their infield. Unlike Dick Schofield’s, Doug DeCinces’ shoulder isn’t dislocated, but it has been bothering him since he dived for a ball in Sunday’s game against Seattle. “Yeah, it’s sore, but it’s nothing I can’t play with,” DeCinces said. “Compared to my back, it’s nothing.” Last season, DeCinces dislocated his left shoulder and said this injury is “in the same spot. But, this is not as bad. This is a strain. Last year, I couldn’t pull my arm over my head. This is more like a knot in my shoulder.” . . . Schofield, beginning his fourth week on the disabled list, had a strong batting-practice session before Thursday’s game, raising hopes that he might be able to rejoin the club before the end of the current seven-game trip. “Hopefully, he can be ready by Minnesota,” said team physical therapist Roger Williams. “He still has some stiffness after working out, but he’s going to have that for a couple of weeks. He’s going to have to expect that. But, it’s something he can play with.” Gene Mauch said Schofield “looked super” during batting practice, but the Angel manager wants to wait before testing Schofield in the field. “There’s still one thing he can’t do,” Mauch said. “He can’t make a quick move to his left with the glove.”. . . Devon White taped his left foot tightly, placed an arch-support cushion in his left shoe and returned to the starting lineup Thursday. White had missed two games with an inflamed left arch. “He wants to play, I want him to play,” Mauch said. Real grass, however, would make the Angels feel a little better about White’s comeback. “We’re looking at seven days on (artificial) turf,” Williams said. “That’s not going to make it any easier.” Mauch didn’t want to think about such obstacles. “If everything’s normal, turf doesn’t make a difference,” he said. “It’s the unusual plays that give you problems. I have heard guys, who have played eight or 10 games in a row on it, say you can feel it. Usually, the guys who say that are the same guys who’ve got an excuse for everything.”