Johnson Ejected, but Seattle Wins Anyway

Randy Johnson’s ejection produced an unexpected result for the Seattle Mariners: a comeback against the other team’s bullpen.

Johnson, Kenny Lofton and Sandy Alomar were ejected after Johnson threw inside to Lofton on consecutive pitches, but Seattle’s bullpen came through for the first time this season in a 5-3 victory over the Indians Wednesday at Cleveland.

Paul Spoljaric (1-0) pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings, and Bobby Ayala retired three straight in the ninth for the Mariners’ first save in five tries. Seattle ended a seven-game losing streak and avoided the worst start in franchise history.

“It was nice to come from behind, take the lead and hold it,” Mariner Manager Lou Piniella said.

With one out in the third, Johnson buzzed a pitch by Lofton’s head. Lofton and the 6 foot 11 Johnson walked toward each other as the benches cleared, with Alomar the first to get between them.

Things calmed down until Piniella started screaming and going after Lofton.

With order finally restored, Johnson threw a second pitch in almost the same spot to set off another bench-clearer.

Johnson (0-2) was charged with one run and one hit in 2 1-3 innings, walking one and striking out five. The bullpen blew leads in both his no-decisions, including a two-hit, 15-strikeout performance in his last start against Boston.

Texas 7, Detroit 3--Tom Goodwin’s triple keyed a five-run rally in the sixth inning at Arlington, Tex., as the Rangers completed a three-game sweep of the Tigers.

Rick Helling (3-0) got relief help from Tim Crabtree in the seventh.

Helling gave up six hits and three runs in six innings.

Tim Worrell (1-2) gave up five hits in a row to start the sixth as Texas overcame a 2-1 deficit.

Fernando Tatis started the big inning with a single and scored on Goodwin’s triple. Mark McLemore hit an RBI single, and singles by Rusty Greer and Juan Gonzalez produced another run.

Pinch-hitter Mike Simms had a sacrifice fly off reliever Sean Runyan. Ivan Rodriguez was hit by a pitch from Bryce Florie, who then gave up a run-scoring single to pinch-hitter Will Clark.

Worrell walked the first hitter he faced, then retired 13 in a row before Rodriguez homered down the left-field line with one out in the fifth.

Kansas City 7, Toronto 3--Hal Morris had a single, double and triple and two RBIs to lead the Royals at Kansas City.

Morris, with his sixth straight multi-hit game, scored the go-ahead run after tripling off Woody Williams (1-1) in the fifth, and drove in Kansas City’s fourth run with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Chris Haney (2-0) fell behind 2-0 in the second but held the Blue Jays to four hits over seven innings. He gave up two walks and had five strikeouts.

In the second, Shane Mack hit his second home run, a 377-foot drive over the fence in left. The Royals then tied it in the third when Jose Offerman hit a two-out double and came home on Morris’ double.

Morris tripled with one out in the fifth and made it 3-2 on Dean Palmer’s RBI single.

Johnny Damon tripled in the sixth and scored when Morris, needing a home run for a rare progressive cycle, hit a high pop foul behind third base.

Chicago 7, Baltimore 6--Rafael Palmeiro grounded out with the bases loaded to end the game and help the White Sox defeat former teammate Doug Drabek at Baltimore.

The Orioles pulled within a run on Brady Anderson’s run-scoring grounder, but Matt Karchner retired Palmeiro on a 3-2 pitch for his third save.

Robin Ventura and Mike Caruso homered as Chicago scored six runs against Drabek.

Albert Belle ended a two for 33 slump with two hits, and Greg Norton had two RBIs for the White Sox, who built a 6-1 lead after three innings.

Boston 4, Oakland 3--Troy O’Leary gave the Red Sox their fourth victory in their last at-bat in six games when he singled in the deciding run at Boston.

The Red Sox are 6-0 on their home stand and O’Leary is 10-for-20 with two doubles and three homers in that span. O’Leary gave Boston a 1-0 lead with his third homer of the season in the second inning.

Oakland fell to 2-10, the worst start since the Athletics moved from Kansas City in 1968. The six victories to start the home season are a Red Sox high since they won eight in a row in 1978.

Dennis Eckersley (1-0) pitched a perfect ninth for Boston after struggling in his first three outings of the homestand when his ERA rose from 3.38 to 14.54.