Game 79: July 2, 1999 (W: 7-6)
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Commentary (by me)

This was a pretty good game, actually.  The score shows a close game, and it really was a flip-flop type of game.  We had the lead, then they tied it, took the lead, and we tied it right back up.   We took the lead, and they tied it in the 9th, but we ended up winning it in the bottom of the ninth - Rusty Greer, of course.   :)

Luis Alicea had an interesting night - he was called out on strikes twice - it really looked like they should have been balls.  After the second one, Alicea started to argue, but was tossed immediately, since he had griped before.   When that happened Johnny Oates came out to defend Luis, and ended up getting into quite an argument himself.  He did something that really reminded me of former Ranger manager Billy Martin - he kicked dirt on the umpire and got tossed, which I thought was cool.  Oates accidentally kicked the umpire, too - which I thought was really bad.   A few days later (I'm writing this on the 7th), I found out that nothing will happen because of this, apparently Oates and the ump are friends or something.

Todd Zeile extended his hitting streak to 11 games, and he hasn't struck out more than once in around 75 at bats or so - nice control at the plate.    Also pitching was Jordan Zimmerman, the brother of the Rangers' Jeff.   There was a nice piece in the newspaper about the Zimmerman brothers' father who was at the game.  It's a great story, and I hope Jeff turns out to be more than just a flash.  He's got a great story.

Game Recap

ARLINGTON, TEXAS (TICKER) -- Rusty Greer singled home Royce Clayton with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Texas Rangers to their fourth straight victory, 7-6, over the Seattle Mariners.

Rangers closer John Wetteland (2-2) blew his fourth save of the season in the top of the ninth, but his teammates bailed him out in the bottom of the frame.

Clayton opened the inning against Ken Cloude (3-4) with a double down the right-field line and Mark McLemore was walked intentionally. Ivan Rodriguez failed twice to sacrifice and lined out to second. Lefthander Jordan Zimmerman was brought in to face Greer, who ripped a 3-1 pitch deep into left-center.

"You just go up there and try and get a good swing on the ball," Greer said. "Royce did a great job of getting on base and McLemore did a great job to stay on base. Anytime you win it's fun. It lifts the clubhouse spirits."

"It's amazing the way he comes up with his last at-bats to win a game so many times," Rangers manager Johnny Oates said. "Tonight was a good night for him to get another one."

The win extended the Rangers' lead in the American League West over Seattle to seven games, their largest since September 13, 1996. Texas has scored 39 runs during its four-game winning streak.

"It was a nice way to win to show that we can come back when we're behind," Rangers starter Rick Helling said. "Roberto (Kelly's) big hit in the eighth was a key to put us ahead and then we did a great job of getting on base in the ninth. I think we've shown all year that we can win late and tonight we proved it."

Edgar Martinez had three hits for the Mariners, who have lost three straight after winning three in a row.

"We battled, we battled all year. We've come back and tied games and we don't hold on to them," Mariners manager Lou Piniella said. "When you give up runs late you lose period."

Kelly, a fomer Mariner, belted his fourth home run in the eighth off Cloude to snap a 5-5 tie.

Wetteland struck out Brian Hunter to open the ninth but David Bell singled and was replaced by Charles Gipson. Ken Griffey Jr. singled to put runners on the corners and Alex Rodriguez delivered a sacrifice fly to make it 6-6.

Rookie Jeff Zimmerman preceeded Wetteland with one scoreless inning. He is unscored upon in his last 15 appearances, one shy of Tim Crabtree's team record, which was set earlier this season.

The Zimmermans became the first brothers to pitch in the same game since Greg and Mike Maddux on May 27, 1998.

Texas opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the second against starter Jamie Moyer. Lee Stevens tripled home Kelly and sacored on Clayton's groundout.

The Mariners got to Helling for a pair of runs in the fifth. Butch Huskey led off with a single and came around to score on Hunter's forceout. Bell's single moved Hunter to third and Helling uncorked a wild pitch.

Four hits and three runs in the sixth off Helling gave Seattle a 5-2 lead. Rodriguez singled, moved to second on an error by Greer in left field and scored on Martinez's base hit. David Segui doubled before Dan Wilson was intentionally walked to load the bases. Russ Davis lofted a sacrifice fly and Hunter stroked an RBI single.

Helling allowed five runs and nine hits over 5 2/3 innings in his third no-decision against the Mariners this season.

"I thought I threw better than the outcome again. Everything I threw they seemed to hit and it found a hole," Helling said. "I just have to go out here with my next start and try to do better."

"I thought he threw the ball well. Alex hit a good pitch to start the inning and he got some runners on and got into a little trouble," Oates said. "The bullpen bailed him out tonight."

The Rangers came up with three runs in the sixth and chased Moyer. Consecutive doubles by Greer and Juan Gonzalez made it 5-2 and Todd Zeile's run-scoring single drew Texas within one. After Kelly walked, Stevens singled in Zeile.

"They fouled off a bunch of balls and went deep in the count, from there it snowballed into a bad inning," Moyer said. "You have to keep making your pitches and hope they hit the ball at someone or someone makes a great play in the field. It just didn't happen that way tonight."

Zeile is batting .435 (20-for-47) during an 11-game hitting streak.

Moyer failed to match a career high with his eighth straight win, yielding five runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. He has not lost since May 1.

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

Alex Rodriguez leaps for a ball	Royce Clayton dives for a ball	Johnny Oates gets tossed	Jordan Zimmerman pitches to Rusty...	... and gives up the winning hit to Rusty in the 9th

Box Score

Line Score
AL  FINAL
                    1  2  3   4  5  6   7  8  9     R  H  E
                    -  -  -   -  -  -   -  -  -     -  -  -
SEATTLE             0  0  0   0  2  3   0  0  1     6 14  0
TEXAS               0  0  2   0  0  3   0  1  1     7 10  1   (FINAL)

BATTERIES:  SEA - JAMIE MOYER, KEN CLOUDE (6TH), JORDAN
                  ZIMMERMAN (9TH) AND DAN WILSON
            TEX - RICK HELLING, TIM CRABTREE (6TH), JEFF
                  ZIMMERMAN (8TH), JOHN WETTELAND (9TH) AND IVAN
                  RODRIGUEZ

             WP - JOHN WETTELAND (2-2)
             LP - KEN CLOUDE (3-4)
           SAVE - NONE

HOME RUNS:  SEA - NONE
            TEX - ROBERTO KELLY (4) OFF CLOUDE IN THE 8TH, 0 ON

     TIME:  3:28     ATT:  39,677

PROBABLES:  SEA - FREDDY GARCIA (9-4, 4.37)
            TEX - AARON SELE (7-6, 5.42)



Box Score
SEATTLE (6) AT TEXAS (7) - FINAL

SEATTLE                ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
Bl Hunter lf            5  1  1  2   0  1   2  .269
Da Bell 2b              5  0  3  0   0  0   2  .269
 Gipson pr              0  1  0  0   0  0   0  .389
 Bournigal 2b           0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .333
Griffey cf              4  0  2  0   1  0   1  .308
A Rodriguez ss          4  1  1  1   0  0   4  .297
E Martinez dh           5  1  3  1   0  1   3  .316
Segui 1b                4  1  1  0   0  0   2  .293
B Huskey rf             4  1  1  0   0  1   2  .308
D Wilson c              3  0  1  0   1  1   1  .293
R Davis 3b              2  0  1  1   1  0   2  .223

Totals                 36  6 14  5   3  4  19

BATTING: 2B - Da Bell (15, Helling); Segui (19, Helling).
SF - R Davis, A Rodriguez. RBI - Bl Hunter 2 (21), E Martinez (43),
R Davis (37), A Rodriguez (38). 2-out RBI - Bl Hunter.  Runners
left in scoring position, 2 out - E Martinez 1, Griffey 1,
Da Bell 1. GIDP - Bl Hunter, A Rodriguez, R Davis.  Team LOB - 8.

FIELDING: DP: 1 (A Rodriguez-Da Bell-Segui).

TEXAS                  ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
Alicea 2b               4  0  1  0   0  3   3  .169
 Mclemore 2b            0  0  0  0   1  0   0  .279
I Rodriguez c           5  0  0  0   0  0   2  .302
Greer lf                3  1  2  1   1  0   0  .279
J Gonzalez rf           4  1  1  1   0  0   3  .317
R Palmeiro dh           4  0  0  0   0  1   1  .357
Zeile 3b                4  1  1  1   0  0   0  .279
R Kelly cf              3  2  2  1   1  0   0  .319
L Stevens 1b            4  1  2  2   0  1   0  .298
Clayton ss              3  1  1  1   0  0   0  .244

Totals                 34  7 10  7   3  5   9

BATTING: 2B - Alicea (5, Moyer); Greer (25, Moyer); J Gonzalez
(15, Moyer); Clayton (7, Cloude). 3B - L Stevens (1, Moyer).
HR - R Kelly (4, 8th inning off Cloude 0 on, 2 out). RBI -
L Stevens 2 (46), Clayton (14), J Gonzalez (72), Zeile (44),
R Kelly (21), Greer (49). 2-out RBI - Zeile, L Stevens, R Kelly.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - J Gonzalez 1, Alicea 2.
GIDP - J Gonzalez.  Team LOB - 7.

FIELDING: E - Greer (2, bobble). DP: 3 (Clayton-L Stevens,
Zeile-Mclemore-L Stevens 2).

SEATTLE                      ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
Moyer                         5 2/3   7   5   5   2   3   0   4.74
Cloude (L, 3-4)               2 2/3   2   2   2   1   2   1   7.20
Jo Zimmerman                  0       1   0   0   0   0   0   7.88

TEXAS                        ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
Helling                       5 2/3   9   5   5   3   1   0   4.53
Crabtree                      1 1/3   2   0   0   0   0   0   3.14
Je Zimmerman                  1       1   0   0   0   1   0   0.94
Wetteland (W, 2-2; BS, 4)     1       2   1   1   0   2   0   4.15

Cloude pitched to 1 batter in the 9th.

WP - Helling. IBB - D Wilson (by Helling); Mclemore (by Cloude).
HBP - Clayton (by Cloude); Greer (by Cloude).  Pitches-strikes:
Helling 113-62; Crabtree 18-13; Je Zimmerman 15-12; Wetteland 23-17;
Moyer 114-69; Cloude 43-23; Jo Zimmerman 5-2.  Ground balls-fly balls:
Helling 10-6; Crabtree 4-0; Je Zimmerman 2-0; Wetteland 0-1; Moyer 6-8;
Cloude 3-3; Jo Zimmerman 0-0.  Batters faced: Helling 28; Crabtree 5;
Je Zimmerman 3; Wetteland 5; Moyer 26; Cloude 12; Jo Zimmerman 1.

UMPIRES: HP--Marty Foster. 1B--Laz Diaz. 2B--Derryl Cousins.
3B--John Shulock.  EJECTIONS: TEXAS' Alicea by Foster (6th),
TEXAS Manager Oates by Foster (6th).
T--3:28.  Att--39,677.   Weather: 91 degrees, clear.   Wind: 22 mph,
in from right.


AL       SEATTLE AT TEXAS
         NOTE:  TEXAS' TODD ZEILE SINGLED IN THE SIXTH INNING TO EXTEND
                HIS HITTING STREAK TO 11 GAMES.

AL       SEATTLE AT TEXAS
         NOTE:  TEXAS' SECOND BASEMAN LUIS ALICEA AND MANAGER JOHNNY
                OATES WERE EJECTED BY HOME PLATE UMPIRE MARTY FOSTER IN
                THE BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH INNING FOR ARGUING BALLS AND
                STRIKES.

Game Log

Seattle Starting Lineups -- Brian L Hunter LF, David Bell 2B, Ken Griffey Jr CF, Alex Rodriguez SS, Edgar Martinez DH, David Segui 1B, Butch Huskey RF, Dan Wilson C, Russ Davis 3B, Jamie Moyer LHP.

Texas Starting Lineups -- Luis Alicea 2B, Ivan Rodriguez C, Rusty Greer LF, Juan Gonzalez RF, Rafael Palmeiro DH, Todd Zeile 3B, Roberto Kelly CF, Lee Stevens 1B, Royce Clayton SS, Rick Helling RHP.

Umpires -- Foster (HP), Diaz (1B), Cousins (2B), Shulock (3B).

Gametime Weather: 91 degrees, Clear, wind in from right at 22 mph.

SEATTLE 1ST: Bl Hunter flied out to shallow left. Da Bell doubled to left. Griffey walked. A Rodriguez grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Da Bell to third, Griffey out at second. E Martinez grounded into fielder's choice to third, A Rodriguez out at second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 0, TEXAS 0.

TEXAS 1ST: Alicea struck out looking. I Rodriguez lined out to second. Greer grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 0, TEXAS 0.

SEATTLE 2ND: Segui flied out to shallow left. B Huskey grounded out to shortstop. D Wilson struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 0, TEXAS 0.

TEXAS 2ND: J Gonzalez popped out to pitcher. R Palmeiro flied out to shallow left. Zeile flied out to deep right. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 0, TEXAS 0.

SEATTLE 3RD: R Davis walked. Bl Hunter grounded into double play, shortstop to first, R Davis out at second. Da Bell flied out to shallow right. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 0, TEXAS 0.

TEXAS 3RD: R Kelly singled to right. L Stevens tripled to right center, R Kelly scored. Clayton grounded out to shortstop, L Stevens scored. Alicea doubled to left center. I Rodriguez grounded out to second, Alicea to third. Greer walked. J Gonzalez flied out to shallow left. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 0, TEXAS 2.

SEATTLE 4TH: Griffey grounded out to pitcher. A Rodriguez popped out to second. E Martinez singled to right. Segui grounded out to pitcher. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 0, TEXAS 2.

TEXAS 4TH: R Palmeiro flied out to deep right. Zeile flied out to left. R Kelly grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 0, TEXAS 2.

SEATTLE 5TH: B Huskey singled to center. D Wilson flied out to shallow left. R Davis singled to center, B Huskey to third. Bl Hunter grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, B Huskey scored, R Davis out at second. Da Bell singled to center, Bl Hunter to third. Bl Hunter scored, Da Bell to second on Helling wild pitch. Griffey grounded out to shortstop. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 2, TEXAS 2.

TEXAS 5TH: L Stevens grounded out to first. Clayton flied out to shallow center. Alicea struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 2, TEXAS 2.

SEATTLE 6TH: A Rodriguez singled to left. A Rodriguez to second on left fielder Greer's fielding error. E Martinez singled to right, A Rodriguez scored. Segui doubled to right, E Martinez to third. B Huskey grounded out to third. D Wilson intentionally walked. R Davis hit sacrifice fly to deep center, E Martinez scored, Segui to third. Bl Hunter singled to center, Segui scored, D Wilson to third. Tim Crabtree relieved Rick Helling. Da Bell grounded out to first. (3 Runs, 4 Hits, 1 Error) SEATTLE 5, TEXAS 2.

TEXAS 6TH: I Rodriguez grounded out to third. Greer doubled to left center. J Gonzalez doubled to left center, Greer scored. R Palmeiro struck out looking. Zeile singled to center, J Gonzalez scored. R Kelly walked, Zeile to second. L Stevens singled to right, Zeile scored, R Kelly to third. Ken Cloude relieved Jamie Moyer. Clayton hit by pitch, L Stevens to second. Alicea struck out looking. Texas' Alicea ejected by Foster. Texas Manager Oates ejected by Foster. (3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 5, TEXAS 5.

SEATTLE 7TH: Mclemore at second. Griffey singled to left. A Rodriguez grounded into double play, third to second to first, Griffey out at second. E Martinez singled to left. Segui grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 5, TEXAS 5.

TEXAS 7TH: I Rodriguez flied out to deep center. Greer hit by pitch. J Gonzalez grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Greer out at second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 5, TEXAS 5.

SEATTLE 8TH: Jeff Zimmerman relieved Tim Crabtree. B Huskey struck out swinging. D Wilson singled to center. R Davis grounded into double play, third to second to first, D Wilson out at second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 5, TEXAS 5.

TEXAS 8TH: R Palmeiro flied out to shallow center. Zeile grounded out to pitcher. R Kelly homered to right. L Stevens struck out swinging. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 5, TEXAS 6.

SEATTLE 9TH: John Wetteland relieved Jeff Zimmerman. Bl Hunter struck out swinging. Da Bell singled to right. Gipson ran for Da Bell. Griffey singled to right, Gipson to third. A Rodriguez hit sacrifice fly to right, Gipson scored. E Martinez struck out swinging. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 6, TEXAS 6.

TEXAS 9TH: Bournigal at second. Clayton doubled to right. Mclemore intentionally walked. I Rodriguez lined out to second. Jordan Zimmerman relieved Ken Cloude. Greer singled to left center, Clayton scored. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 6, TEXAS 7.