GARCIA FIRES 1-HITTER; M'S WIN 3RD STRAIGHT
Seattle Righty is Majors 1st to Toss Multiple 1-Hitters

SEATTLE, July 10 (AP) - Freddy Garcia threw a complete game one-hitter to lead the Seattle Mariners past the Baltimore Orioles, 4-1, at Safeco Field.  Garcia is the first pitcher in either league this year to record multiple one-hitters; his first came on April 6 against the Texas Rangers in Arlington.  Garcia is the second pitcher in three days to toss a complete game one-hitter; Billy Traber of the Cleveland Indians one-hit the New York Yankees on July 8.

Given Garcia's dominance--he only walked two batters in addition to the single hit he allowed--it's surprising that the Orioles drew first blood in the contest.  Tony Batista drew a two-out walk in the second inning and Deivi Cruz lashed a double to the left-center field wall.  With two outs, Batista was off on contact and he beat Mark McLemore's relay throw to the plate to give Baltimore a 1-0 lead. 

That was the only Baltimore safety of the game.  Garica set down 10 in a row after the Cruz double, until Jose Morban reached on McLemore's error leading off the sixth inning.  He was later erased by a double play grounder.

The Mariners surged into the lead in the bottom of the third.  Ichiro Suzuki singled off Orioles starter Sidney Ponson and promptly stole second base.  McLemore followed with a base hit to center and Suzuki scored easily to tie the game.  After Edgar Martinez popped out, Bret Boone lashed a double to the right-center field gap, scoring McLemore to put Seattle on top, 2-1.  Ben Davis then reached on Cruz's throwing error, with Boone advancing to third.  Mike Cameron followed by lifting a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Boone to give the Mariners a 3-1 advantage.

Seattle added an insurance run in the sixth when John Mabry and Jeff Cirillo hit back-to-back doubles with one out, upping the lead to 4-1.

The Orioles had a scoring chance in the seventh.  David Segui drew a lead-off walk and Garcia plunked Jeff Conine with a pitch, putting runners at first and second with no outs.  Jay Gibbons flied to deep center, moving Segui to third.  But Batista flied to shallow right and Cruz rolled out to second to end the threat.

That was that.  Garcia retired the final nine batters he faced--five of them on strikes--to close out the game in style.

The loss was the fourth straight for the Orioles who fell six games under .500 for the first time this season.  The win completed the three-game series sweep for the Mariners.

7/10/2003, Bal03-Sea03, Safeco Field
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
2003 Orioles           0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0     1  1  1     3  1
2003 Mariners          0  0  3  0  0  1  0  0  x     4 10  1     8  1
 
Orioles              AB  R  H BI   AVG    Mariners             AB  R  H BI   AVG
Matos,L           cf  4  0  0  0  .382    Suzuki            rf  3  1  1  0  .291
Mora              lf  4  0  0  0  .314    McLemore          ss  4  1  2  1  .230
Segui             dh  3  0  0  0  .211    Martinez,E        dh  4  0  1  0  .302
Conine            1b  3  0  0  0  .265    Boone,B           2b  4  1  1  1  .320
Gibbons           rf  3  0  0  0  .253    Davis,B           c   4  0  1  0  .264
Batista,T         3b  2  1  0  0  .250    Cameron           cf  3  0  0  1  .278
Cruz,D            ss  3  0  1  1  .229    Winn              lf  3  0  1  0  .320
Fordyce           c   3  0  0  0  .329    Mabry             1b  4  1  1  0  .140
Morban            2b  3  0  0  0  .235    Cirillo           3b  4  0  2  1  .216
                     28  1  1  1                               33  4 10  4
 
Orioles                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Ponson           L 6-8           6.0  9  4  3  1  6 118  82  3.34
Ligtenberg                       1.0  0  0  0  0  2  10   7  2.34
Ryan,B                           1.0  1  0  0  0  1  10   7  4.39
                                 8.0 10  4  3  1  9 138  96
 
Mariners                         INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Garcia,F         W 9-3           9.0  1  1  1  2  6 105  67  4.34
                                 9.0  1  1  1  2  6 105  67
 
E-Cruz,D, Cirillo. 2B-Cruz,D(17), Boone,B(21), Mabry(3), Cirillo 2(8).
RBI-Cruz,D(29), McLemore(18), Boone,B(80), Cameron(43), Cirillo(30).
SB-Suzuki(17), Winn(14). K-Matos,L 2, Segui, Conine, Morban 2, McLemore 2,
Martinez,E, Boone,B 3, Cameron, Mabry 2. BB-Segui, Batista,T, Winn.
SF-Cameron. HBP-Conine, Suzuki. HB-Ponson, Garcia,F.
GWRBI: Boone,B
Temperature: 80, Sky: cloudy, Wind: right to left at 6 MPH.
Attendance: 36,720
Game Time: 2:16