Johnson Strikes Out 15, Griffey Homers

Randy Johnson matched a season-high with 15 strikeouts and Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 18th homer as the Seattle Mariners snapped a five-game losing streak Sunday night with a 3-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Seattle.

Johnson (4-3) ended a personal two-game losing streak with a seven hitter--his first complete game since Aug. 8, 1997. The left-hander, who entered the game with a 6.83 ERA, walked two.

The Devil Rays put the tying runs on base in the ninth before Johnson struck out Miguel Cairo for the final out. Johnson ended seven straight innings with a strikeout.

Griffey, who was 0 for 10 in the series, homered to lead off the sixth inning against Dennis Springer (1-8). Griffey’s 425-foot shot into the Kingdome’s right-field third deck tied him with teammate Alex Rodriguez for AL lead in homers.

David Segui and Edgar Martinez had three hits apiece for the Mariners.

New York 14, Boston 4--The Yankees gave David Cone more support than even he’s used to, batting around twice against the American League’s leading pitching staff at Boston.

The Yankees, who averaged 8.5 runs in Cone’s previous eight starts, scored seven runs in the third and six more in the fifth. Boston’s team ERA rose in Saturday’s 12-3 loss to New York, but still was a league-best 4.16 ERA coming into Sunday.

A marquee pitching matchup between Cone and Bret Saberhagen--former Cy Young award winners and teammates with Kansas City and the New York Mets--didn’t last long.

Saberhagen (5-3) pitched just 2 2/3 innings and allowed seven runs on eight hits. It was his third consecutive poor outing, a span in which he’s 0-3 with a 17.10 ERA. He was 5-0 with a 3.09 ERA in his first six starts.

“It’s a tough loss, especially when you’re chasing a team like this,” Saberhagen said. “It’s still a long season and we’ve got to start playing better baseball.”

Of Saberhagen’s status, Red Sox Manager Jimy Williams said, “As long as he feels good physically, he’s going to pitch again in his regular spot.”

Cone (6-1) won his sixth consecutive decision despite falling behind 2-0 on runs in the first and second. Then the Yankees, who started the day second only to Texas in the AL with a .297 batting average, started hitting.

“I just feel very fortunate that the team’s played well when I’ve pitched,” Cone said. “They’ve covered up a lot of my flaws. I just haven’t been consistent enough with my breaking stuff. There were a couple of points in that game I could have come apart, but I got out of jams.”

Toronto 5, Cleveland 0--Woody Williams, who flirted with a no-hitter in his previous start, allowed four hits in seven scoreless innings for the Blue Jays at Cleveland.

Meanwhile, Dwight Gooden, beginning another chapter in his career, lasted only three innings in his debut with the Indians. He allowed three runs and seven hits.

“I was probably more nervous in ‘96, because I was out of the game for two years and didn’t know what to expect,” said Gooden, who pitched 11 seasons for the New York Mets before sitting out the 1995 season on drug suspension and then signing with the Yankees.

After getting a $5.575 million, two-year contract from the Indians, Gooden started the season on the disabled list with biceps tendinitis.

Despite a sharp breaking ball and a fastball clocked as high as 93 mph Sunday, Gooden (0-1) was knocked out by five consecutive singles in the fourth. He left to a mix of cheers and boos.

“This time, my first time out of New York, obviously you want to do well. I felt good the first couple of innings and then just fell apart. They got on me a little bit, but I understand that.”

Craig Grebeck had three hits and drove in three runs for Toronto, and Cleveland’s David Justice singled in the first for his 1,000th career hit.

Williams (5-2) struck out four and walked four in his first start since taking a no-hitter into the eighth against Tampa Bay on Tuesday. The right-hander has allowed only eight hits and two runs in 22 innings for a 0.82 ERA in his last three starts.

Detroit 8, Chicago 4--The Tigers took advantage of inconsistent pitching, pounding five White Sox pitchers for 15 hits at Chicago.

Damion Easley and Tony Clark each homered to lead the Tigers to their ninth win in 12 games.

Easley hit his 12th home run with two out in the second, extending his hitting streak to 14 games, and Clark connected on his fifth leading off the fifth.

New White Sox pitching coach Nardi Contreras, who replaces Mike Pazik, arrived late Saturday.

“The inconsistency is something he knows is a challenge that is ahead of him,” White Sox Manager Jerry Manuel said.

Baltimore 2, Oakland 1--Pinch-hitter Harold Baines doubled in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning as the Orioles won at Oakland.

Cal Ripken Jr. drew a walk off Billy Taylor (0-5) to start the ninth and was replaced by pinch-runner Jeff Reboulet. B.J. Surhoff sacrificed and Baines, batting for Lenny Webster, drove his double to center.

Baltimore, which beat Oakland 9-1 Saturday night to stop a nine-game losing streak, won successive games for the first time since May 8-9 at Tampa Bay.