AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Mariners’ Celebration on Hold

The Seattle Mariners will have to wait a little longer for their champagne.

Seattle failed to clinch the AL West on their own Saturday night, losing 9-2 to Texas as Mickey Tettleton hit two homers and the Rangers knocked Andy Benes out in the second inning at Arlington, Tex.

“We would love to be out there celebrating, but they came out of the chute and scored some runs on us,” Seattle’s Joey Cora said. “We’ve got to take care of business tomorrow. It’s in our hands. It’s our destiny.”

Seattle Manager Lou Piniella said Tim Belcher would pitch against the Rangers today on just three day’s rest.

“I feel comfortable with Belcher,” he said. “He’s pitched pretty well.”

Piniella, though reserved, did not seem disturbed by Saturday’s loss.

“This thing has been going back and forth,” he said. “It’s hard to win every day, no matter how well you’re playing.”

Texas Manager Johnny Oates said he was proud of the way his team played after being eliminated from the wild-card race on Thursday. The Rangers, at 73-70, assured themselves of a winning season with the victory.

“I told the guys that is something to play for,” he said. “In spring training, your goal is the playoffs. When they take that away from you, you try for second place. When they take that away from you, you play for the best record you can.”

Benes (7-2) said he was somewhat mystified with his performance, in which he allowed seven runs in 1 1/3 innings.

“I felt good,” he said. “I just didn’t do my job. I threw it across the plate and they hit it.”

Kevin Gross (9-15) pitched seven innings, allowing two runs and eight hits and striking out three.

In other games: Right fielder Troy O’Leary had three hits and two RBIs as the Boston Red Sox beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 9-1, at Milwaukee. Ben McDonald, Jimmy Haynes and Jesse Orosco teamed to pitch the Baltimore Orioles’ fourth consecutive shutout and Brady Anderson hit his first grand slam in a 12-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Baltimore. Marty Cordova hit his 24th home run, tops among AL rookies, and Ron Coomer added a two-run homer as the Minnesota Twins beat the Chicago White Sox, 7-6, at Chicago.