sign in sign up
<<
Home , 1994 World Series, Bill Plummer, Chris Bosio, Cy Young, Cy Young Award, Dan Wilson (baseball)

FOUR DECADES OF MARINERS Each month during the 2017 season, Mariners Magazine will highlight a different era to celebrate the club’s 40th Anniversary. In this issue, we’ll take a look at the 1992 through 1997 seasons. (Part 3 of 6) By Mike Gastineau

After the success of the 1991 season in which the Mariners finished above the .500 mark for the first time in their history, hopes were high in Seattle that more winning ways would continue. However, the ’92 team was not that good. There were individuals highlights: Edgar Martinez made his first All-Star team and .343 to win the first of two titles in his career. And rookie Dave Fleming won an impressive 17 games. Unfortunately, the Mariners won only 64 the whole season. That 64-98 record cost first- year his job but led to the arrival of the last key piece of the Mariners team that would begin the most successful period in team history. On November 9, 1992, Seattle hired , who came to the job after three years each as manager of the Yankees and Reds, including leading the Reds to the 1990 title. Piniella’s impact in Seattle was im- mediate, as the 1993 squad bounced back to win 82 games. In April, pitched the At the All-Star Game in , Ken Griffey Jr. is mobbed by teammates after scoring the second no-hitter in team history in Junior hit a legendary shot during the winning in game five of the 1995 . defeating Boston, and in June, Jay Buh- Run Derby that bounced off the ner became the first Mariners player warehouse behind right field at Cam- good news: everyone else in the AL ever to hit for the cycle. Two future den Yards. The Orioles placed a plaque West struggled and when the Mari- Hall of Famers hit new milestones. Ken in the location to commemorate the ners caught fire in August they found Griffey Jr., eclipsed the 40 ball’s 445-foot journey, the only time themselves just two games of first mark for the first time in his career, the warehouse has been hit. despite being 14 games under .500. ending the year with 45. Meanwhile, The following season the Mariners The hot streak came in the midst of became just the 12th lost their first five games, never got to the longest road trip in baseball his- hurler all time to strike out more than .500, and lost 13 of their last 16 games tory. When two ceiling tiles fell from 300 batters, leading the AL with 308. in July to end the month 40-62. The the roof of the on July 19

32 MARINERS MAGAZINE TIMELINE

1992 – Edgar Martinez wins first of two AL batting titles with .343 average. July 14, 1992 – Ken Griffey Jr. goes 3-for-3 at the 63rd Annual MLB All-Star Game and is named MVP. Nov. 10, 1992 – Lou Piniella becomes manager; posts 840-711 record in 10 seasons with Seattle. 1993 – Ken Griffey Jr., and each win AL Glove Awards. Bosio

the facility was deemed unsafe for play. Edgar Martinez lines “the ” into the left-field corner The fix would take several months and of the Kingdome to score and Ken Griffey Jr. Seattle would have to play the rest of the 1994 season on the road. the Mariners were very much in play However, the season would soon for the new playoff spot. be truncated by a players’ strike that Seattle had acquired pitcher Andy April 22, 1993 – Chris Bosio pitches second no- began August 13 and didn’t end Benes and hitter in club history, defeating Boston 7-0. until the following April, effectively at the deadline, but still found June 23, 1993 – becomes first canceling the . But, themselves a game below .500 on Au- Mariners player ever to hit for the cycle. before the strike, the Mariners played gust 23, 11.5 games back of California July 21-28, 1993 – Ken Griffey Jr., becomes the 20 road games in 21 days in six cities and four games behind Texas for the third player in MLB history to homer in eight and won nine of their last 10 games. Wild Card spot. consecutive games. Johnson and Junior again provided The next day at the Kingdome, Yan- Sept. 22, 1993 – Dann Howitt hits a on-field highlights. Johnson led the AL kees entered the off , who hurt his elbow on in for the third consecutive game in the 9th with a 7-6 lead and re- the – the last thrown by Ryan in his season and Junior won the first of four tired the first two batters he faced. Then 27-year career. home run titles. Coleman drew a walk, stole second and Nov. 2, 1993 – traded by Reds Due to the player’s strike and the was singled home by Joey Cora to tie to Mariners; plays with club until 2005. time it took to settle it, the 1995 the game. Fans barely had time to sit 1994 – Seattle’s new home and season didn’t start until late April. The back down before Junior launched Wet- stadium, the , opens Mariners started right where they left teland’s next pitch into the right-field in Peoria, . off in 1994, winning six of their first seats, giving Seattle a wild 9-7 win. 1994 – Mariners become the first pro sports team seven games. But, at the end of May, The win started a 25-11 run that with a website on the Internet; original site Junior broke his wrist in two places included 15 come-from-behind victo- is named Mariners.org. while making a sensational crashing- ries, including seven where they trailed Buhner into-the-wall “Spiderman” catch of a in the seventh and six in their long fly ball. He would miss more than last at-bat. Some of the heroes during two months. that stretch: Buhner hit a three-run The Mariners managed to hang homer to beat Minnesota. Dan Wilson around .500 thanks in no small part to had a solo shot to beat . Doug Edgar Martinez who was on his way to Strange hit a ninth-inning homer to tie his second AL batting title with a .356 a game against Texas and then Junior average. But the Angels steadily pulled drove in the game winner two away and by the time Junior returned later. Coleman hit a grand slam to tie to the lineup on August 15 the Mari- a game against Oakland that was then ners were 12.5 games out of first place. won on a homer from Alex Díaz. Two Yet, because MLB had shifted both days later, hit a two-run 1994 – In honor of Jay Buhner’s hairless dome, the leagues to a three-division format and team debuts “Buhner Buzz Cut Night.” added a fourth team to the postseason, (continued on page 34)

MARINERS MAGAZINE 33 (continued from page 33) Sojo 1994 – Pitcher earns a team-high 18 saves in his first season with Seattle. walk off to lift the Mariners to another Oct. 1994 – Labor dispute between players win over the A’s. and owners forces cancellation of 1994 After finally moving into first place World Series. in late September, Seattle 1995 – Randy Johnson records 18-2 record and stumbled in their final week- 2.48 ERA and wins AL Award. end series at Texas, losing their final two games and Piniella falling into a tie with the An- gels, necessitating a one-game playoff for the AL West crown. The Yankees had historic twist, the Angels pitcher was clinched former Mariner . the Wild Johnson countered for the Mariners Card and retired the first 17 batters he faced. 1995 – Manager Lou Piniella named AL Manager of so the When Seattle scratched out a run on a the Year. game Coleman RBI in the fifth inning May 24, 1995 – drives in 8 runs was it looked like he had all the support he against Boston; ties team record for RBI in a would need. But the Mariners added a game. true four insurance runs in the seventh July 11, 1995 – Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson, winner- when hit a broken bat cue Edgar Martinez and Tino Martinez selected take-all ball shot down the first-base line clear- to the 66th Annual MLB All-Star Game. contest. ing the bases in the process. Sojo then Aug. 13, 1995 – Mariners sit 13 games behind Both scored on a two-base throwing first-place California Angels. teams by Langston, leading to announcer Sept. 1995 – “Refuse to Lose” becomes the threw ’ memorable call: “Every- unofficial catchphrase across the their ace body scores!” The Mariners added . and, in four more runs in the eighth and when a nice Johnson got looking with two outs in the ninth the celebration was on. The next day they had to fly to New York for Game 1 of the Divisional Series. That series was postseason baseball as good it gets: five games that featured dramatic home runs, heroic pitching perfor- mances, wild capacity crowds and a sensational finish. The Yankees talent overwhelmed the Mariners in Game 1. Game 2 was the longest postsea- son game ever played at the time, a sensational back-and-forth duel that Oct. 2, 1995 – Mariners defeat Angels in one- was settled at 1:22 a.m. ET, when Jim game playoff to win AL West and reach Leyritz hit a two-run homer in the bot- postseason for first time in history. tom of the 15th inning. Oct. 8, 1995 – Mariners defeat Yankees 6-5 on Back in Seattle, the Mariners rode walk-off double by Edgar Martinez, scoring the pitching of Johnson to a Game 3 Joey Cora and Ken Griffey Jr. win and then won Game 4 by erasing a 1996 – Jay Buhner and Ken Griffey Jr. five-run deficit thanks to Edgar Marti- earn Gold Glove Awards; Griffey Jr. and Alex nez’s seven RBI. Rodriguez win Silver Slugger Awards. Game 5 was played on October 8 at 1996 – Mariners unveil TV commercials for the the Kingdome. Benes started for Seattle first time. and for New York. Pini- 1996 – Club sells its first-ever game tickets via ella and Yankees skipper Buck Show- the Internet. alter had their aces, Johnson and Jack 1996 – Mariners lead league and set club records McDowell ready to pitch, if needed. with 993 runs scored, 343 doubles and Randy Johnson and Dan Wilson celebrate clinching a 1995 954 RBI. playoff berth. (continued on page 36)

34 MARINERS MAGAZINE (continued from page 34) July 9, 1996 – A team record five players selected to the 67th Annual MLB All-Star Game. The Yankees led 4-2 in the eighth Aug. 1, 1996 – Raul Ibañez makes MLB debut (first inning when Junior hit a solo homer to of three stints with team); cut the lead in half. The Mariners then joins team. loaded the bases and Strange pinch hit Sept. 18, 1996 – earns his 13th for Wilson, drawing a walk to tie the win on the season, tops for Seattle in 1996. game. The Yankees brought in a first- Griffey year pitcher named to get the last out of inning. When reliever gave up a double and a walk to start the ninth, Piniella brought in Johnson to a thunderous ovation from the King- dome crowd. He quickly escaped the jam. Not to be outdone, when Rivera let the first two batters reach base in the bottom of the ninth, Showalter brought in McDowell who similarly shut the Mariners down. After a scoreless 10th the Yan- Moyer kees got a run off Johnson to put the Mariners backs against the wall again. ing the division leading Rangers, and Cora led off the Mariners half of the reeled off a club-record 10 game win- 11th with a single and scam- ning streak in September to surge to pered to third on the Junior single that within a game. Alas, the magic of 1995 followed. Edgar Martinez, who had was not duplicated and the Mariners torched Yankees the entire missed the postseason. series, then lined a double into the left- The 1997 season brought more field corner. Cora scored easily to tie superlatives as Seattle won 90 games 1997 – Ken Griffey, Jr., hits 56 home runs and the game and Junior never broke stride and drew more than three million fans, drives in 147 RBI and wins AL MVP Award. sprinting home from first base, sliding both first-time achievements. They also 1997 – Randy Johnson becomes first pitcher in just ahead of the throw and trigger- dominated unlike any other time in Mariners history to win 20 games in a ing wild celebrations on the field and their history, spending 122 days in first season; finishes with 20-4 record. in the stands as Seattle had forged yet place in the AL West. In 20 previous 1997 – Team posts its first 90-win season (90-72) another remarkable . years of baseball the team spent a total and wins AL West; hits MLB-record 264 punctuated the mo- of 106 days in first place. homers. ment in his broadcast with 10 words The Mariners were again a jugger- 1997 – For first time ever in Mariners history, many Mariners fans can recite from naut on offense led by Junior who had home attendance tops 3 million mark, at memory: “I don’t believe it! It just an MVP season with 56 home runs 3,192,237 fans. continues! My, oh my!” and 147 RBIs and won the Gold Glove March 8, 1997 – Groundbreaking ceremony for The Mariners faced Cleveland in for the eighth consecutive year. Field across street from Kingdome; the ALCS, split the first two games in On the mound Johnson became the 15,000 fans brave chilly temperatures; Seattle and won Game 3 in Cleveland, first ever Mariner to win 20 games. Dave Niehaus and Ken Griffey Jr., attend 5-2, on a Buhner three-run homer in Jamie Moyer (acquired in 1996 in festivities; Niehaus calls the new park “the the 11th inning. At that point, the a trade with Boston) won 17 and house that Griffey built.” “Refuse to Lose” magic finally ran won 16. The Mariners June 1997 – Team announces creation of Mariners out. Cleveland beat them three straight clinched the AL West with a week left Hall of Fame; , also known as games to win the ALCS. in the season and, unlike 1995, were “Mr. Mariner,” named first inductee. But the bond forged between the able to set their pitching up for their Sept. 23, 1997 – Mariners clinch AL West crown Mariners and their fans during the postseason matchup against Baltimore. for the second time in three years. 1995 season, and especially those final But the Orioles turned the tables on Oct. 1-5, 1997 – Mariners play in postseason for two months was permanent. Seattle in the first two games, roughing second time in team history; face Orioles in Defying their history of good up the Mariners pitching in back-to- AL Division Series, but lose 3-games-to-1. years followed by bad ones, the 1996 back 9-3 wins at the Kingdome. The Mariners won a club-record 85 games, Mariners won Game 3 but lost Game set MLB records for extra-base hits 4 and thus the series to end their other- Be sure to pick up the July issue and total bases, sent a team-record five wise terrific season. of Mariners Magazine for the next players to the All-Star Game, and drew a team record 2.7 million fans. Mike Gastineau is a freelance writer based in Seattle. He spent installment highlighting the 40th The Mariners spent every day from over 20 years hosting a local radio show, and is the author of Anniversary of the Mariners. May 11 on in second place, stalk- two books.

36 MARINERS MAGAZINE