Game 75: June 27, 1999 (L: 5-2)
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Commentary (by me)

The final game at the Kingdome, and we lost.  Damn.  On Friday, it was the home run show by the Rangers.  On Saturday, it was the walk show by the Rangers.   Today it was the Ken Griffey show.  He powered the offense, robbed us of a three run home run (off Juan's bat), and generally showed why he's regarded as the best centerfielder in the game today.  He was quite cool to watch. 

It was an interesting game, as three people got ejected - two Rangers (Royce Clayton & Johnny Oates), and one Mariner (Edgar Martinez).  Royce was arguing a call, and got tossed, and when Johnny came out to defend Royce, he got tossed, too.  Baseball is one of those weird sports where when you're at home, and your manager is arguing, the crowd cheers even more when your own guy gets thrown out.   You'd think the fans would boo, but they cheer.  :)

We lost, and I was annoyed by that, but it seemed like a great game to watch.  It's a pity it was on Fox Sports Southwest, as they have no concept of post game show.  I wish this was on Channel 39, as we would have gotten to see some of the post game stuff, which I really wanted to see.

I hope Tom Hicks moves the Rangers to his own station for all 162 games, and does good pre-and post game shows.  It's obvious Fox Sports Southwest doesn't know how to do that.  :(

Tom Goodwin was back off the disabled list, pushing Scarborough Green back down to AAA.  Ruben Mateo is still on the DL, and is supposed to go straight to AAA when he's off the list.  Today's DMN reports that Eric Gunderson's rehab assignment outing didn't go all that well.

Commentary (by Jim Meeks)

Not available.

Game Recap

SEATTLE (TICKER) -- For one last time, Ken Griffey Jr. brought flair to the drab Kingdome.

The Kingdome closed its doors to baseball today and it was Griffey that appropriately provided the final heroics. The superstar center fielder belted a three-run homer and made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Juan Gonzalez of a three-run blast to give the Seattle Mariners a 5-2 victory over the Texas Rangers.

No player hit more homers at the Kingdome than Griffey, who hit his 198th there off Aaron Sele to give the Mariners a 3-2 lead in the first inning. The first came on April 10, 1989, when he homered on the initial pitch he saw at the Kingdome.

"I played here 11 years. This is the only place I know as home," Griffey said. "It felt like (the) '95 and '97 (playoffs) and Opening Day. That's what ballplayers play for."

The homer was enough for starter Freddy Garcia (9-4), who has the most wins in the majors among rookie pitchers. Garcia labored through five innings, allowing two runs and five hits, including a two-run homer to Rusty Greer in the top of the first. Garcia walked six and struck out three.

The best pitcher of the day for Seattle was Frank Rodriguez, who allowed just one hit over three scoreless innings.

"We had a solid performance from Freddy and we needed a solid performance out of the bullpen," Rodriguez said. "It was good to get some momentum going into the new stadium."

Jose Mesa walked two batters in the ninth, but was helped by a double play and earned his 16th save in 18 chances. The final batter in the Kingdome was Greer, who flied out to left fielder Brian Hunter.

Mariners relievers had blown saves in each of the last three games.

Garcia needed a big assist from Griffey in the fourth after Gonzalez belted a pitch to deep left-center field. Griffey raced to the wall and reached his glove over the top of the fence to rob the Texas slugger of a three-run blast and keep the score at 4-2.

"On the last day, it meant something," Griffey said of the catch. "I've made better catches. But today with the closing of the Kingdome, I guess you guys make it more dramatic."

Among those in attendance was former Mariner Ken Griffey Sr., who was being interviewed in a television booth at the time of his son's leaping catch.

Griffey Jr., who stole two bases, had a chance for additional glory, but struck out with the bases loaded to end the eighth.

The Mariners won the final two games of the three-game series before beginning a two-week road trip that will conclude at the All-Star break. Seattle will open its new facility, Safeco Field, on July 15 against the San Diego Padres.

Seattle finished with an all-time record of 852-903 at the Kingdome.

There was ample room for nostalgia, including a streaker who brought back memories of the 1970s by dashing across the field in the seventh inning.

Edgar Martinez, who had the most famous hit in Kingdome history, was ejected by plate umpire Brian Onora after arguing a called third strike in the seventh inning.

"I just sort of snapped," said the normally mild-mannered Martinez.

It was Martinez who stroked a two-run double in the 11th inning to give Seattle a clinching win over the New York Yankees in Game Five of their American League Division Series in 1995.

Before the early exit, Martinez delivered an RBI double in the third to give Seattle a 4-2 lead. David Bell scored the fifth Seattle run on a throwing error by shortstop Royce Clayton in the fourth.

Sele (7-6), who resides in Kirkland, Washington, allowed five runs -- four earned -- and eight hits in seven innings.

"Actually, I'd rather pitch the first game in Safeco Field," said Sele, who grew up near Seattle. "Every pitcher in the American League is laughing right now that they are tearing this place down. Really, it's nice to see them move into a state-of-the-art park and get away from this place."

The righthander was in immediate trouble in the first inning. Hunter reached on an infield single and stole second before Alex Rodriguez walked. Griffey then hit a 2-1 pitch over the right-field fence for his 27th homer of the season and 30th of his career against Texas.

Clayton and Texas manager Johnny Oates also were ejected by Onora in the sixth inning after arguing a call. Clayton grounded out and claimed that the ball was fouled off his foot.

Todd Zeile had three of the six hits for the Rangers, who left 10 runners on base, including eight in the first four innings. Texas lost for just the third time in 16 indoor games this season.

The Mariners had 10 hits, including three by Hunter and two by Bell.

First baseman David Segui of the Mariners was hitless in three at-bats. His father, Diego, was the starting pitcher in the first game at the Kingdome on April 6, 1977 against the California Angels.

The game drew a sellout crowd of 56,530, giving the Kingdome an all-time attendance of 32,668,786.

Photos
(Click on any of them for a larger image)

There's also a few pictures of the Kingdome itself from this game on my Kingdome page.

The Kingdome's final game.	Ranger starter Aaron Sele	Royce Clayton getting ejected from the game...	...Johnny Oates comes out and he also gets ejected.	Hey Mac, it's a ball!  Go get it!

Ken Griffey Jr. hits a home run in the first inning, and the AP News wire goes nuts with photos of it.

More of Griffey's home run	Part of the post game celebration	Ken Griffey Jr, Ken Griffey Sr, & Mariner announcer Dave Niehaus during post game ceremonies

Box Score

Line Score
AL  FINAL
                    1  2  3   4  5  6   7  8  9     R  H  E
                    -  -  -   -  -  -   -  -  -     -  -  -
TEXAS               2  0  0   0  0  0   0  0  0     2  6  3
SEATTLE             3  0  1   1  0  0   0  0  x     5 10  1   (FINAL)

BATTERIES:  TEX - AARON SELE, DANNY PATTERSON (8TH), MIKE
                  VENAFRO (8TH) AND GREGG ZAUN
            SEA - FREDDY GARCIA, FRANK RODRIGUEZ (6TH), JOSE
                  MESA (9TH) AND DAN WILSON

             WP - FREDDY GARCIA (9-4)
             LP - AARON SELE (7-6)
           SAVE - JOSE MESA (16)

HOME RUNS:  TEX - RUSTY GREER (7) OFF F GARCIA IN THE 1ST, 1 ON
            SEA - KEN GRIFFEY JR (27) OFF SELE IN THE 1ST, 2 ON

     TIME:  3:02     ATT:  56,530

PROBABLES:  TEX - MIKE MORGAN (8-5, 5.69)
            ANA - CHUCK FINLEY (4-7, 4.56)

            SEA - JOHN HALAMA (6-2, 3.72)
            OAK - MIKE OQUIST (6-6, 5.53)



Box Score
TEXAS (2) AT SEATTLE (5) - FINAL

TEXAS                  ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
T Goodwin cf            4  1  1  0   1  1   1  .241
Mclemore 2b             3  0  0  0   2  0   2  .282
Greer lf                4  1  2  2   1  0   1  .278
J Gonzalez rf           4  0  0  0   0  2   4  .307
R Palmeiro dh           2  0  0  0   2  0   0  .346
Zeile 3b                4  0  3  0   0  0   0  .263
L Stevens 1b            3  0  0  0   1  1   4  .297
Zaun c                  4  0  0  0   0  1   6  .211
Clayton ss              3  0  0  0   0  0   0  .239
 Shave ss               0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .245
 a-Alicea ph            0  0  0  0   1  0   0  .157

Totals                 31  2  6  2   8  5  18

a-walked for Shave in the 9th.

BATTING: 2B - Zeile (20, F Garcia). HR - Greer (7, 1st inning
off F Garcia 1 on, 1 out). RBI - Greer 2 (48). Runners left in
scoring position, 2 out - Zaun 2, J Gonzalez 2, Greer 1. GIDP -
Zaun, L Stevens, T Goodwin. Team LOB - 10.

FIELDING: E - Clayton (11, throw); Zaun (3, throw); Shave (4, bobble).

SEATTLE                ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
Bl Hunter lf            5  1  3  0   0  1   3  .279
A Rodriguez ss          4  2  1  0   1  0   4  .312
Griffey cf              3  1  1  3   2  1   4  .311
E Martinez dh           4  0  1  1   0  2   3  .311
Segui 1b                3  0  0  0   1  1   2  .288
B Huskey rf             4  0  0  0   0  1   5  .311
 Gipson rf              0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .375
Mabry 3b                4  0  1  0   0  0   0  .242
Da Bell 2b              4  1  2  0   0  1   0  .259
D Wilson c              4  0  1  0   0  0   1  .294

Totals                 35  5 10  4   4  7  22

BATTING: 2B - E Martinez (15, Sele); Mabry (7, D Patterson).
3B - Bl Hunter (4, Sele). HR - Griffey (27, 1st inning off Sele 2 on,
0 out). RBI - Griffey 3 (74), E Martinez (42). Runners left in
scoring position, 2 out - Bl Hunter 1, B Huskey 4, A Rodriguez 1,
Griffey 2. Team LOB - 10.

BASERUNNING: SB - Bl Hunter (21, 2nd base off Sele/Zaun); D Wilson
(2, 2nd base off Sele/Zaun); Griffey 2 (14, 2nd base off Sele/Zaun 2).

FIELDING: E - Mabry (7, throw). DP: 3 (Da Bell-A Rodriguez-Segui,
Fr Rodriguez-A Rodriguez-Segui, A Rodriguez-Da Bell-Segui).

TEXAS                        ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
Sele (L, 7-6)                 7       8   5   4   4   5   1   5.42
D Patterson                     2/3   2   0   0   0   1   0   4.31
Venafro                         1/3   0   0   0   0   1   0   2.08

SEATTLE                      ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
F Garcia (W, 9-4)             5       5   2   2   6   3   1   4.37
Fr Rodriguez (H, 2)           3       1   0   0   0   2   0   5.40
Mesa (S, 16)                  1       0   0   0   2   0   0   7.52

IBB - L Stevens (by F Garcia); Griffey (by Sele); Segui (by Sele).
Pitches-strikes: F Garcia 109-55; Fr Rodriguez 34-21; Mesa 19-7;
Sele 129-79; D Patterson 17-13; Venafro 4-3.  Ground balls-fly balls:
F Garcia 6-6; Fr Rodriguez 6-1; Mesa 2-1; Sele 8-8; D Patterson 1-0;
Venafro 0-0.  Batters faced: F Garcia 26; Fr Rodriguez 9; Mesa 4;
Sele 33; D Patterson 5; Venafro 1.

UMPIRES: HP--Brian Onora. 1B--Jim Joyce. 2B--Eric Cooper.
3B--Jim Mckean.  EJECTIONS: TEXAS Manager Oates by Onora (6th),
TEXAS's Clayton by Onora (6th); SEATTLE's E Martinez by Onora (7th).
T--3:02.  Att--56,530. Indoors.

AL       TEXAS AT SEATTLE
         NOTE:  TEXAS' MANAGER JOHNNY OATES AND SHORTSTOP ROYCE CLAYTON
                WERE EJECTED BY HOME PLATE UMPIRE BRIAN ONORA IN THE TOP
                OF THE SIXTH INNING FOR ARGUING A QUESTIONABLE CALL MADE
                BY ONORA.

AL       TEXAS AT SEATTLE
         NOTE:  SEATTLE'S EDGAR MARTINEZ WAS EJECTED BY HOME PLATE UMPIRE
                BRIAN ONORA IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SEVENTH INNING FOR
                ARGUING BALLS AND STRIKES.

Game Log

Texas Starting Lineups -- Tom Goodwin CF, Mark Mclemore 2B, Rusty Greer LF, Juan Gonzalez RF, Rafael Palmeiro DH, Todd Zeile 3B, Lee Stevens 1B, Gregg Zaun C, Royce Clayton SS, Aaron Sele RHP.

Seattle Starting Lineups -- Brian L Hunter LF, Alex Rodriguez SS, Ken Griffey Jr CF, Edgar Martinez DH, David Segui 1B, Butch Huskey RF, John Mabry 3B, David Bell 2B, Dan Wilson C, Freddy Garcia RHP.

Umpires -- Onora (HP), Joyce (1B), Cooper (2B), Mckean (3B).

Gametime Weather: Indoors

TEXAS 1ST: T Goodwin singled to center. Mclemore flied out to center. Greer homered to right, T Goodwin scored. J Gonzalez struck out swinging. R Palmeiro walked. Zeile doubled to left, R Palmeiro to third. L Stevens intentionally walked. Zaun grounded out to third. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 0.

SEATTLE 1ST: Bl Hunter reached on infield single. Bl Hunter stole second. A Rodriguez walked. Griffey homered to right, Bl Hunter and A Rodriguez scored. E Martinez struck out looking. Segui flied out to left. B Huskey flied out to right. (3 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 3.

TEXAS 2ND: Clayton grounded out to shortstop. T Goodwin flied out to left. Mclemore walked. Greer walked, Mclemore to second. J Gonzalez struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 3.

SEATTLE 2ND: Mabry grounded out to catcher. Da Bell struck out looking. D Wilson singled to right. D Wilson stole second. Bl Hunter grounded out to pitcher. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 3.

TEXAS 3RD: R Palmeiro flied out to center. Zeile safe at first on 3rd baseman Mabry's throwing error. L Stevens struck out swinging. Zaun grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Error) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 3.

SEATTLE 3RD: A Rodriguez singled to center. Griffey fouled out to first. E Martinez doubled to deep center, A Rodriguez scored. Segui struck out swinging. B Huskey grounded out to third. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 4.

TEXAS 4TH: Clayton grounded out to shortstop. T Goodwin walked. Mclemore flied out to left. Greer singled to right, T Goodwin to third. J Gonzalez flied out to deep center. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 4.

SEATTLE 4TH: Mabry flied out to left. Da Bell singled to left. D Wilson grounded out to shortstop, Da Bell to second. Bl Hunter reached on infield single, Da Bell to third. Da Bell scored, Bl Hunter to second on shortstop Clayton's throwing error. A Rodriguez grounded out to third. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 1 Error) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 5.

TEXAS 5TH: R Palmeiro walked. Zeile singled to left, R Palmeiro to second. L Stevens flied out to shallow left center. Zaun grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Zeile out at second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 5.

SEATTLE 5TH: Griffey walked. E Martinez lined out to third. Segui lined out to center. Griffey stole second. Griffey to third on catcher Zaun's throwing error. B Huskey struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Error) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 5.

TEXAS 6TH: Frank Rodriguez relieved Freddy Garcia. Clayton grounded out to third. Texas's Manager Oates ejected by Onora. Texas's Clayton ejected by Onora. T Goodwin struck out swinging. Mclemore grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 5.

SEATTLE 6TH: Shave at short. Mabry flied out to center. Da Bell grounded out to shortstop. D Wilson fouled out to left. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 5.

TEXAS 7TH: Greer grounded out to pitcher. J Gonzalez popped out to second. R Palmeiro grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 5.

SEATTLE 7TH: Bl Hunter tripled to right center. A Rodriguez grounded out to third. Griffey intentionally walked. Griffey stole second. E Martinez struck out looking. Seattle's E Martinez ejected by Onora. Segui intentionally walked. B Huskey grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 5.

TEXAS 8TH: Gipson in right. Zeile singled to left. L Stevens grounded into double play, pitcher to shortstop to first, Zeile out at second. Zaun struck out looking. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 5.

SEATTLE 8TH: Danny Patterson relieved Aaron Sele. Mabry doubled to deep left. Da Bell singled to right, Mabry to third. D Wilson grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Da Bell to second, Mabry out at home. Bl Hunter struck out swinging. A Rodriguez grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Da Bell to third, D Wilson safe at second on shortstop Shave's fielding error. Mike Venafro relieved Danny Patterson. Griffey struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Error) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 5.

TEXAS 9TH: Jose Mesa relieved Frank Rodriguez. Alicea hit for Shave. Alicea walked. T Goodwin grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Alicea out at second. Mclemore walked. Mclemore to second on fielder indifference. Greer flied out to left center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, SEATTLE 5.