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  Friday, Jun. 23 10:05pm ET
Seattle 8, Baltimore 3
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

SEATTLE (AP) _ If the well-paid Baltimore Orioles are in a huff about their second seven-game losing streak of the season, it isn't showing.

About the only emotion the Orioles demonstrated on the field Friday night in the eighth inning when Albert Belle was called out on strikes by home-plate umpire Dana DeMuth. Belle had a few words to say to DeMuth, prompting manager Mike Hargrove to end the discussion. They both walked backed to the dugout.

``We are not feeling sorry for ourselves in any way, shape or form,'' Hargrove said after the Orioles fell to a season-worst 11 games under .500 with an 8-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

The Orioles had a 23-minute team meeting behind closed doors after the game, but nobody was saying what was said.

``I can't talk to you specifically about it,'' Brady Anderson of the Orioles said. ``I guarantee you there might be a few guys who will. But we had a closed-door meeting and there is a reason for that.''

The Orioles, who have baseball's fourth highest payroll at $81.5 million, have the worst road record in the majors at 10-29, including 12 defeats in their last 13 games.

Meanwhile, the Mariners won their fourth in a row and pushed their June record to 15-6 to stay 1 1/2 games behind red-hot Oakland in the AL West. The Athletics have won nine in a row and are 16-3 this month. The Mariners are a season-best 11 games over .500.

And the Mariners' starting pitching is getting healthy. Gil Meche, Friday night's winning pitcher, said his dead arm was a dead issue.

``I didn't feel any dead arm feelings,'' Meche said after pitching six strong innings.

With David Bell hitting a two-run homer and Alex Rodriguez adding a two-run double in a four-run fifth inning, Meche (4-4) won his fourth straight decision, including three since coming off the disabled list June 13 because of arm problems.

``Finally, I could say my arm felt good throughout the whole game,'' Meche said. ``There was no tightness, no dead, no nothing. It felt good to know my fastball was going to be there the whole game.''

Scott Erickson (4-4), who may be on the trading block, lost for the fourth time in five decisions.

Trailing 2-0, the Mariners struck for four runs with two out in the fifth. John Mabry singled and Bell followed with his fourth homer of the season. Rickey Henderson then walked, Stan Javier singled, Henderson stole third, and Rodriguez's second double of the game drove in both runners.

``You never get tired of hitting home runs, especially when you don't hit them very often,'' said Bell, who now has four for the season. ``He (Erickson) was rolling pretty good. It was a good feeling to tie it up.''

Notes: Orioles 3B Cal Ripken was given the night off by Hargrove because of his sore back. Hargrove used him as his DH Thursday night. Hargrove said before the game that Ripken, 39, will play Saturday and Sunday. Ripken underwent back surgery last September. ... Baltimore is 0-5 at Safeco Field and has lost six straight in Seattle.

 


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RECAPS
Detroit 7
Cleveland 6

Toronto 5
Boston 4

Chi. White Sox 4
NY Yankees 3

Tampa Bay 7
Texas 4

Anaheim 8
Minnesota 3

Oakland 10
Kansas City 6

Seattle 8
Baltimore 3

Florida 6
Chicago Cubs 1

Philadelphia 13
Montreal 6

NY Mets 12
Pittsburgh 2

San Diego 10
Cincinnati 7

Atlanta 3
Milwaukee 2

San Francisco 10
Houston 3

St. Louis 9
Los Angeles 6

Arizona 2
Colorado 0