Henry Sharp in Comeback

Butch Henry was a mystery man to the Oakland Athletics, and for good reason.

Henry shut down Oakland in his first game in nearly a year, and Edgar Martinez hit a three-run, first-inning homer as the Seattle Mariners defeated the A’s, 6-1. Friday night.

“He tied us up with pitches inside and hit the outside corner consistently,” A’s Manager Art Howe said.

Henry (1-0) gave up two hits--an infield single by Ryan Christenson in the first and a double by Miguel Tejada in the sixth--in seven innings, making his first major league appearance since last April 20 for Boston against Cleveland. It was his first victory since beating Milwaukee for the Red Sox on Sept. 14, 1997.

“I expect to have success all the time,” Henry said. “If it wasn’t for the physical injuries, I’ve had fairly successful years. Now, I look to put that physical stuff behind me and have a good year.”

The 30-year-old left-hander, signed by Seattle as a free agent Dec. 16, went on the disabled list last April 21 because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Henry had come back after missing the entire 1996 season season while recuperating from reconstructive elbow surgery.

“We weren’t getting a guy with arm problems. It was a knee. And knees heal,” Seattle Manager Lou Piniella said. “His arm is nice and sound, and he knows how to pitch.”

Henry said he expected to be nervous when he went out to the Kingdome mound, but he wasn’t.

“I felt like I knew what I was doing,” he said. “I felt like I was home. I knew what I was doing. I had a plan.”

Henry struck out the side in the fifth, fanning John Jaha, Matt Stairs and Olmedo Saenz.

“I thought he was [Sandy] Koufax that inning,” Seattle pitching coach Stan Williams said.

Henry struck out five in all and walked none against the A’s, who have lost three in a row since beating the New York Yankees on opening day.

Rogers, pushed back from opening day matchup with Roger Clemens because he needed more time to rebuild arm strength after a bout of elbow tendinitis, dropped to 3-8 against Seattle, allowing four runs, seven hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings.

“I’d rather face Clemens than Henry,” Rogers said. “When hitters don’t know what you throw, it’s a lot harder on them. When hitters see you for so long, they know how you pitch.”

Oakland has scored only 10 runs in four games and is batting .167. John Halama followed Henry with one-hit relief, allowing a leadoff single to Tim Raines in the ninth.

Martinez put Seattle ahead in the first with his first homer of the season following Carlos Guillen’s walk and David Bell’s single.

The Mariners got an unearned run in the fifth. Ken Griffey Jr. struck out, but reached on A.J. Hinch’s passed ball. He went to second on a passed ball and scored on Jay Buhner’s single.