Latest Loss to Tigers Has Mariners Feeling a Bit Buggy

The fans were swarmed over by clouds of flying insects. The Seattle Mariners didn’t do any better.

“I thought we were going to get bugged out in the first,” Seattle starter Paul Abbott said Wednesday night after the Mariners’ 6-5 loss to the Tigers at Detroit. “It was amazing. A stampede from bugs.”

Juan Encarnacion hit a two-run triple in a five-run seventh inning as Detroit rallied and sent Seattle to its ninth loss in 10 games.

Swarms of flying insects caused fans to flee their seats early in the game. Fans began running up the aisles as Seattle’s Edgar Martinez batted in the first inning, swatting at the insects as they moved.

Those who remained in their seats were constantly swatting at the bugs on themselves or others.

“I couldn’t believe the crowd,” said Abbott, who pitched 6 1/3 solid innings before the Mariners’ bullpen wilted.

Pitchers in the Tigers’ bullpen started a small fire trying to ward off the attack. The game was never delayed, and fans returned to their seats as play progressed.

“It wasn’t as bad on the field as it was on the perimeter,” Tiger Manager Phil Garner said.

There was no immediate word on what caused the swarm.

Martinez hit his career-high 30th home run and Mike Cameron also homered for Seattle, whose AL West lead remained at 3 1/2 games.

The Tigers, who moved back within a game of .500, stayed 5 1/2 behind Cleveland in the wild-card race.

Detroit trailed, 4-1, before batting around in the seventh, getting five straight hits.

Arthur Rhodes (3-7) gave up four consecutive hits after relieving Abbott, who allowed a leadoff double to Deivi Cruz. Jose Macias had an RBI single, Wendell Magee a pinch single, Encarnacion tripled to the right-field corner and Bobby Higginson hit a run-scoring single.

Juan Gonzalez greeted Jose Mesa with an RBI single before Dean Palmer’s sacrifice fly gave Detroit a 6-4 lead. All of the hits went the opposite way.

“It was a beautiful job,” Garner said. “That showed the mark of good discipline.”

Cleveland 7, Oakland 5--David Segui hit a go-ahead RBI double in the sixth inning as the Indians beat the Athletics at Cleveland for their fifth consecutive win.

Jim Thome homered as Cleveland won for the 14th time in 19 games and sent the A’s to their fifth loss in six games.

Segui, sent sprawling earlier by an inside pitch from Tim Hudson (13-6), hit an RBI double for a 6-5 lead in the sixth. Cleveland’s pitchers threw two pitches over Ben Grieve’s head.

New York 10, Texas 9--Jorge Posada went three for four with a homer and five RBIs and Tino Martinez hit a game-winning RBI single in the ninth inning at New York.

The Yankees won despite stranding 14 runners in the first eight innings, blowing a 7-4 lead and making two errors in a five-run eighth.

Posada’s two-run homer in the eighth tied it for the Yankees.

Chicago 8, Baltimore 4--Magglio Ordonez had three RBIs and the White Sox made the most of nine walks and two Baltimore errors at Chicago.

Lorenzo Barcelo (1-1) allowed one run and two hits in 3 1/3 innings of relief.

Toronto 9, Kansas City 8--Carlos Delgado had his fifth two-homer game of the season, hitting a go-ahead drive in the eighth off Andy Larkin (0-2) at Toronto as the Blue Jays won their third straight.

Delgado, who tied Chicago’s Frank Thomas for the AL lead with 38 homers, hit a leadoff homer in a five-run seventh.

Minnesota 8, Tampa Bay 2--Cristian Guzman had three hits, including a two-run triple, his major league-leading 19th this season, and Danny Ardoin hit a bases-loaded double for the Twins at Minneapolis.

Mark Redman (12-6), who leads AL rookies in wins, strikeouts, earned-run average and winning percentage, gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings, and LaTroy Hawkins finished with hitless relief for his ninth save.