First for Mariners: Sweep at New York

For the first time in their 21-year history, the Seattle Mariners swept a series at Yankee Stadium.

Seattle’s often-shaky bullpen overcame a rare misplay by Ken Griffey Jr., and the result was a 3-2 victory at New York.

A diving stop by second baseman Joey Cora in the ninth inning preserved the victory, finishing off the three-game sweep. The Mariners won their fifth game in a row, moving the American League West leaders 16 games over .500 (60-44) for the first time.

“We did well,” Griffey said. “That’s all you can ask for.”

The Mariners improved to 5-1 on their longest trip of the season, a 12-game swing that has gone through Cleveland and New York and now heads to Boston and Milwaukee.

Griffey, who had two home runs and seven runs batted in during the series, insisted there was nothing special about the success at Yankee Stadium.

“It doesn’t mean anything because they’ve done it to us,” he said.

Griffey had three hits. Alex Rodriguez, celebrating his 22nd birthday, hit an RBI single and Griffey followed with a two-run single that made it 3-0 in the third inning.

Jeff Fassero (9-6) left with a 3-2 lead after a leadoff single by Tino Martinez in the eighth. Fassero had five strikeouts and two walks.

Griffey misjudged a fly ball hit by Chad Curtis to open the ninth, allowing it to go over his head for a double. But Bob Wells shut down the Yankees to earn his second save. Seattle relievers had blown 14 of 39 save opportunities and began the game with a major league-worst 6.40 earned-run average.

Baltimore 9, Minnesota 0--Scott Erickson pitched a five-hitter for his first shutout since 1995, and the Orioles got three-run homers from Geronimo Berroa and B.J. Surhoff at Minneapolis.

Erickson (13-5) set a season-high with nine strikeouts and walked none. It was his 10th shutout and first since blanking Toronto on Sept. 27, 1995.

With his first complete game this season, Erickson improved to 3-0 in three starts against his former team this year.

Erickson, who played six seasons in Minnesota, gave up two infield hits through the first six innings.

Berroa broke an 0-for-13 slump with his 20th home run, off Rich Robertson (7-8), capping a four-run third.

Kansas City 3, Toronto 2--Yamil Benitez’s home run tied the score in the eighth and Johnny Damon had a tie-breaking RBI single in the ninth to lead the Royals at Toronto.

In the ninth, Chili Davis broke an 0-for-17 slump with a leadoff single off Paul Quantrill (4-3) and Dean Palmer singled. One out later, Damon’s single to right scored pinch-runner David Howard without a throw.

Gregg Olson (1-0), who came on to face Joe Carter with one on in the eighth, got the victory when catcher Mike Sweeney threw out Jacob Brumfield trying to steal second to end the inning.

The Blue Jay winning streak ended at five games, and also had their season-high home winning streak stopped at six.

Milwaukee 11, Detroit 7--Dave Nilsson went four for five with a two-run home run and a two-run double as Milwaukee swept a three-game series at Detroit.

Nilsson’s 17th home run matched his personal best. Nilsson has homered six times in eight games.

Jeromy Burnitz added a home run and RBI double for the Brewers.

Jesse Levis and Fernando Vina each had three hits in Milwaukee’s season-high 18-hit attack.

Bobby Higginson hit two home runs for the Tigers.

Texas 5, Chicago 4--Mark McLemore drove in two runs and scored the tie-breaking run on a wild pitch in the seventh inning at Chicago.

With the game tied, 3-3, and one out in the Rangers’ seventh, McLemore doubled off Tony Castillo (3-4) for his third hit of the game and advanced on Rusty Greer’s groundout. Matt Karchner relieved Castillo and his first pitch to Juan Gonzalez skipped past catcher Jorge Fabregas to the backstop, allowing McLemore to score.

McLemore also hit a run-scoring groundout in the first and hit a home run leading off the third as the Rangers won their third in a row.

Will Clark led off the eighth with his 11th homer to give the Rangers a 5-3 lead, helping them withstand a home run by Frank Thomas in the bottom half, his 24th.

John Wettland pitched the ninth for his 22nd save.

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BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

Player: Dave Nilsson

Team: Milwaukee

Performance: 4 for 5, double, home run, 4 RBIs, 2 runs

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Geromino Berroa

Team: Baltimore

Performance: 3 for 5, double, home run, 3 RBIs, 2 runs

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Jack Howell

Team: Angels

Performance: 2 for 3, two home runs, 2 RBIs, 2 runs

Team’s Result: Loss

PITCHING

Player: Scott Erickson

Team: Baltimore

Performance: Five-hit complete game, no runs, 9 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Jeff Fassero

Team: Seattle

Performance: 7 innings, 8 hits, 2 runs, 5 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Win

*

Player: Jose Rosado

Team: Kansas City

Performance: 7 innings, 2 hits, 2 unearned runs, 9 strikeouts

Team’s Result: Win