Hershiser Struggles and so Do Indians

Orel Hershiser, scheduled to face the Angels on Sunday at Cleveland, was a victim of his own wildness in his first start of the season.

He was a victim of the Mariner bats Tuesday night.

Hershiser survived a four-run first inning, in part because his teammates matched it, but another four runs in the fourth proved his undoing.

Still, he’s pitching in luck. Sandy Alomar’s fifth home run in as many games, coming in the fifth inning, tied the score, 8-8, and took Hershiser of the hook in a game the Indians eventually were trailing, 14-8, in the eighth inning.

Alomar’s homer tied a club record for home runs in consecutive games, and he finished the night with four hits and four RBI.

Ken Griffey Jr. hit his league-leading sixth home run for Seattle, which snapped a three-game Indian winning streak.

Ken Griffey Jr. also drove in four runs, and Jay Buhner broke out of a season-opening slump with his first homer and four RBIs for the Mariners.

The Mariners scored four times in the fifth inning for a 12-8 lead, and could have gotten more.

Griffey doubled off center fielder Marquis Grissom’s glove, and Joey Cora paused at second base to see if the ball would be caught. But Alex Rodriguez, who was on first, was running on the play and passed Cora, and was called out.

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NEXT SERIES FOR ANGELS

WHO: Cleveland Indians

WHERE: at Cleveland

WHEN: Friday 10 a.m.

Saturday 10 a.m.

Sunday 10 a.m.