Tuesday, Sept. 30, 1997 | 11:21 a.m.
A look at the best-of-5 American League division series between the Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners:
SCHEDULE
Game 1, Wednesday, at Seattle (5:07 p.m., NBC) Game 2, Thursday, at Seattle (1:07 p.m., ESPN) Game 3, Saturday, at Baltimore (1:30 p.m., Fox) x-Game 4, Sunday, at Baltimore (1:07 p.m., ESPN) x-Game 5, Monday at Baltimore (1:07 p.m., ESPN)
x-if necessary.
SEASON SERIES
Baltimore won, 7-4.
LINEUPS
Orioles: Brady Anderson cf (.288, 18 HRs, 73 RBIs), Roberto Alomar 2b (.333, 14, 60), Eric Davis rf (.304, 8, 25), Rafael Palmeiro 1b (.254, 38, 110), B.J. Surhoff lf (.284, 18, 88), Cal Ripken 3b (.270, 17, 84), Geronimo Berroa dh (.283, 26, 90), Chris Hoiles c (.259, 12, 49), Mike Bordick ss (.236, 7, 46).
Mariners: Joey Cora 2b (.300, 11, 54), Roberto Kelly lf (.291, 12, 59), Ken Griffey Jr. cf (.304, 56, 147), Edgar Martinez dh (.330, 28, 108), Alex Rodriguez ss (.300, 23, 84), Jay Buhner rf (.243, 40, 109), Paul Sorrento 1b (.269, 31, 80), Dan Wilson c (.270, 15, 74), Mike Blowers 3b (.293, 5, 20) or Russ Davis 3b (.271, 20, 63).
ROTATIONS
Orioles: RH Mike Mussina (15-8, 3.20 ERA), RH Scott Erickson (16-7, 3.69), LH Jimmy Key (16-10, 3.43).
Mariners: LH Randy Johnson (20-4, 2.28), LH Jamie Moyer (17-5, 3.86), LH Jeff Fassero (16-9, 3.61).
RELIEVERS
Orioles: LH Randy Myers (AL-leading 45 saves), RH Arthur Rhodes (10-3, 53 games), RH Armando Benitez (106 Ks, 73 1/3 innings), LH Jesse Orosco (5-3, 71 games).
Mariners: RH Heathcliff Slocumb (27 saves, 10 of 11 since trade from Red Sox), RH Bobby Ayala (1.78 ERA since July 31), RH Mike Timlin (10 saves, 64 games), LH Norm Charlton (3-8, 7.27, 89 hits, 69 1/3 innings).
MATCHUPS
Orioles: Palmeiro batted only .189 with 11 strikeouts in 37 at-bats against the Mariners. He is 1-for-21 lifetime against Johnson. ... Hoiles batted team-high .417 with three homers and 13 RBIs vs. Mariners. His .583 on-base percentage was high for either club. ... Erickson went 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA in three starts. ... Orosco got two wins in 2 1/3 innings. ... Myers earned two saves in six appearances.
Mariners: Two of Johnson's four losses came against O's. In three starts, he had a 5.68 ERA in 19 innings. Baltimore won all three games. ... Griffey (.234) had 11 hits -- 3 homers -- 11 RBIs and 11 strikeouts in 47 at-bats. ... Cora led with .405 average (17-for-42). ... Rodriguez (.356, 3 homers, 7 RBIs) was only other Mariner with .300-plus average. ... Buhner struck out 15 times in 38 at-bats and hit only .184. ... Dennis Martinez was a two-time loser to O's before retiring in June.
BIG PICTURE
Orioles: AL's most consistent team until September, coasted down the stretch, playing with little intensity in final weeks. ... Became only the third AL team to remain in first place all season. The first two, the 1927 Yankees and 1984 Tigers, went on to win the World Series. ... Making their second appearance in division series after beating Cleveland in four games last year. ... Haven't been to World Series since 1983.
Mariners: Won second AL West title in three years, posting club record for victories under manager Lou Piniella. ... Set major league record with 264 homers this season, breaking mark of 257 set by Orioles last year. ... While lineup is arguably baseball's best, pitching staff is suspect, especially bullpen. ... In only other playoff appearance, played thrilling five-game division series with Yankees in '95 before losing to Cleveland in ALCS.
WATCH FOR
* Junior's second October. Griffey almost single-handedly beat the Yankees in '95 with 5 homers in five games.
* Tight games. Teams played five one-run games this year, including three in their last four meetings. Orioles went 4-1 in Seattle and swept three-game series there May 16-18.
* Palmeiro's bat. Provided little in '96 postseason with .206 average, and Davey Johnson has considered sitting him against lefty Johnson.
PREDICTION
Mariners in 5.
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