Mariners Clinch AL West Title
SEATTLE (AP) - The record-setting Seattle Mariners added another accomplishment to their long list Wednesday night: the American League West title.
Seattle won its third division title when Texas beat second-place Oakland 10-4 behind a big night from former Mariners' star Alex Rodriguez.
Oakland's game ended when the Mariners were in the fourth inning, leading the Angels 1-0. Manager Lou Piniella shook hands with players and offered hugs in the dugout, while others slapped high-fives.
The sellout crowd gave the Mariners a standing ovation and cheered madly for several minutes when ``2001 AL West champions'' flashed across every scoreboard between the fourth and fifth innings.
Rodriguez, who played on Seattle's two previous division winners, hit a two-run home run in the first inning that gave Texas the lead for good.
Rodriguez left the Mariners after leading them to the AL championship series last season to sign a $252 million, 10-year contract with the Texas Rangers.
Still, despite a season highlighted by new stars Ichiro Suzuki and Bret Boone, a sterling pitching staff and the selection of a franchise-best eight players to the All-Star game at Safeco Field, the Mariners were planning a toned-down clubhouse celebration for when they clinched.
Seattle players said it didn't seem right to plan a wild party in the wake of a national tragedy.
When it was noted to Piniella before the game that a possible scenario could have Texas helping Seattle clinch almost before the Mariners even took the field, Piniella said: ``Regardless of how we've clinched this thing, we've earned it. I'd like to back in every year with 105 wins.''
Mariners fans have been talking about the playoffs - and even World Series - from the beginning of the season.
Way back in April, Suzuki gave them a glimpse of what was coming. His bunt single in the eighth inning of his major league debut sparked the game-winning rally as Seattle defeated Oakland 5-4 on opening night.
It was the start of something special in Seattle. The Mariners have been in first place every day since.
Seattle (105-40) won 20 games each in April, May and August, and is on pace to pass the Chicago Cubs' major league record of 116 wins set in 1906.
The Mariners were a franchise-record 65 games over .500 heading into Wednesday's game. The ballpark has been sold out 51 times this season.
After major league baseball called off games in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, outfielder Jay Buhner was ready to get back to the task of winning games and setting records.
``We're doing something pretty special,'' he said.
New faces like Suzuki, a seven-time batting champion from Japan, and Boone have helped this city forget about losing stars Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr. and Randy Johnson.
Suzuki leads the AL with his .350 batting average, and his 220 hits are most in the majors entering the game. Boone's 35 home runs are the most in a season by an AL second baseman.
The pitching staff has the lowest ERA in baseball, and Freddy Garcia, Jamie Moyer and Paul Abbott each has at least 15 wins. Aaron Sele has 13 wins and John Halama 10.
``I've never seen a team like this,'' Boone said. ``There's no weakness on this team.''
Originally published September 19, 2001.
