Mariners Tie ’06 Cubs With 116th Victory

The Seattle Mariners tied the major league record for wins in a season with their 116th victory Saturday night, beating the Texas Rangers, 1-0, behind Bret Boone’s first-inning homer at Seattle.

The American League West division champion Mariners (116-45) can break the record set by the 1906 Chicago Cubs (116-36-3) by winning their final regular-season game today.

On Friday, the Mariners became the winningest team in AL history, passing the record of 114 set by the New York Yankees in 1998.

Seattle rookie Dennis Stark, Paul Abbott, Joel Pineiro (6-2), Jeff Nelson and Kazuhiro Sasaki combined for a two-hitter, ending the Rangers’ quest to join the 2000 Cincinnati Reds and the 1932 Yankees as the third team in major league history to go an entire season without being shut out.

Sasaki pitched the ninth for his 45th save in 52 opportunities.

Mariner Manager Lou Piniella wanted to sharpen his bullpen for their playoff series against Cleveland that opens at Seattle on Tuesday.

Boone, who took over the AL lead with 141 runs batted in, homered for the second night in a row, his team-leading 37th, with two outs in the first against Doug Davis (11-10).

Jay Buhner, starting in right field because Piniella wanted to give Ichiro Suzuki the night off, made the defensive play of the game.

Buhner started his first game in right this season after spending most of the season on the disabled list because of a sore left arch. He made a sliding catch on his knees near the foul line on Bill Haselman’s slicing fly ball to end the fifth with runners at the corners.

Toronto 5, Cleveland 2--At Toronto, Chris Carpenter won his fourth consecutive decision and the Indians lost their fourth game in a row. The Indians have lost five of six since clinching the AL Central division title last Sunday.

Tampa Bay 5, New York 2--Andy Pettitte, scheduled to start Game 2 of the playoffs against Oakland, gave up five hits in five scoreless innings in his final regular-season start for the Yankees at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Minnesota 6, Chicago 5--David Ortiz and A.J. Pierzynski hit home runs to lead the Twins at Minneapolis.

Kansas City 8-1, Detroit 3-2-- The Tigers gained a doubleheader split at Detroit that ensured the Royals will finish last in the AL Central.