Mariners Rally Late to Win, 9-8

Tino Martinez’s second homer of the game, a two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth inning, gave the surging Seattle Mariners their sixth victory in a row as they defeated the Oakland Athletics, 9-8, Sunday.

In a wild back-and-forth game played before 46,714, the Mariners took a 7-6 lead in the eighth, fell behind, 8-7, in the top of the ninth and won it in their last at-bat as Dennis Eckersley blew a save for the ninth time.

Ken Griffey Jr. flied out to left to start the ninth, and Eckersley (4-6) relieved Rick Honeycutt. Edgar Martinez singled to center and was replaced by Darren Bragg, and Tino Martinez hit a liner just over the right-field wall for his 31st homer of the year.

The crowd demanded and received a curtain call from Martinez, who gave Seattle its second comeback victory of the series and 41st of the year.

“You know, I’ve got three home runs off him,” Martinez said. “The whole homestand has been unbelievable.”

Norm Charlton (2-1) got the victory despite giving up a two-run homer to Danny Tartabull in the ninth that put Oakland up, 8-7.

Seattle drew 152,803 fans for the series, a record for a three-game set at the Kingdome.

Griffey singled to score Vince Coleman in the third inning for a 1-0 lead for Seattle.

Oakland erased the 1-0 deficit with four runs in the fourth inning. Mike Bordick doubled in Tartabull, Terry Steinbach and Scott Brosius. Bordick scored on Geronimo Berroa’s single, but Griffey threw out Rickey Henderson at home.

The Mariners play a two-game series with the Angels beginning Tuesday.

“I’m not worried about California,” Coleman said. “We have to do what it takes to win ball games. We’re just worried about playing consistent baseball. [Other teams] are worrying about the Seattle Mariners right now.”