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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
SEATTLE (AP) -- In one week, the Seattle Mariners expanded a one-game lead to a season-high seven over Oakland in the AL West.
|  | | Edgar Martinez had two RBI singles, pushing his league lead to 109 RBI. |
Edgar Martinez had a pair of run-scoring singles, increasing his major league-leading RBI total to 109, and the Mariners beat Chuck
Finley and the Cleveland Indians 7-1 Friday night.
"You saw how fast it went from one game to seven," winner Paul Abbott said. "Well, it can go back to one in a hurry."
On a night the Mariners won for the seventh time in eight games, the Athletics lost their sixth in a row, 11-4 to Detroit. With its sudden surge, Seattle is on a pace to win 96 games.
The one Seattle loss in the past week was a 19-3 embarrassment
to the White Sox in Chicago Wednesday night.
"You just tuck your shirt in a little bit and get ready to do some damage the next day," Seattle's Mike Cameron said.
Rickey Henderson went 1-for-3 with three RBI, walking with the
bases loaded in the second and hitting a two-run single in the
eighth off Steve Reed.
Finley (9-9) lasted 3 1/3 innings, the shortest of his 24 starts
this season, allowing five runs, six hits and a season-high six
walks. Finley, 4-0 in six starts against Seattle since June 27,
1997, dropped to 19-8 against the Mariners all-time.
"We were patient," Mariners manager Lou Piniella said.
Finley fell hard to the ground after delivering his first pitch to Henderson to start the game. Finley's right ankle appeared to twist.
"He got his spikes hung up in the ground," Indians manager Charlie Manuel said. "He was struggling and in trouble all the time tonight."
Abbott (8-4) improved to 4-0 in his career against Cleveland.
"I was around the plate the whole game," he said.
Abbott gave up four hits and three walks in 7 2/3 innings.
"He changed speeds well and moved his fastball around, up and
down, inside and out," Cleveland's David Segui said.
Jose Paniagua relieved with two on and got Manny Ramirez to hit
into a fielder's choice, then finished the five-hitter for his third save in six chances.
Seattle, returning from a 6-2 road trip against the New York Yankees and the White Sox, improved 69-47, moving 22 games over .500 for the first time. Cleveland lost for the second time in nine games.
Martinez's run-scoring hits came in the first and fourth innings.
With the score tied at 1, the Mariners opened the second with
consecutive singles by Cameron, David Bell and Joe Oliver, taking a
2-1 lead.
Mark McLemore singled, loading the bases, and Henderson got the
Mariners' major league-leading 25th bases-loaded walked. 2,040
walks, Henderson moved within 16 of Babe Ruth, baseball's career
leader (2,056).
John Olerud's double-play grounder scored Oliver for a 4-1 lead.
Cleveland had three hits in the first, including Manny Ramirez's
RBI single.
Game notes
Stan Javier, starting at first base for the Mariners for the first time in 11 games after not playing first since 1997, sprained his left shoulder in the second inning when he took a wide
throw from 3B David Bell and tagged out Cordero. Javier jammed his arm
against Cordero's thigh and Olerud pinch hit for him in the bottom
half. Piniella said Javier might be able to pinch hit Saturday. ...
Plate umpire Bruce Froemming took a hard foul tip off Sandy
Alomar's bat in the second inning. Froemming leaned over in pain,
but stayed in the game. ... Martinez is on a pace for 152 RBI,
which would be a team record, eclipsing Ken Griffey Jr.'s high of 147, in 1997 and 1998. ... Kenny Lofton's run in first tied Larry Doby for seventh on the Indians' career list at 808.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Cleveland Clubhouse
Seattle Clubhouse
RECAPS
Chi. White Sox 6
Tampa Bay 5
Kansas City 7
Baltimore 6
Minnesota 9
Toronto 4
Boston 7
Texas 3
Anaheim 8
NY Yankees 3
Detroit 11
Oakland 4
Seattle 7
Cleveland 1
Cincinnati 6
Chicago Cubs 4
San Diego 3
Florida 0
Colorado 10
Montreal 3
Arizona 6
Pittsburgh 1
NY Mets 4
San Francisco 1
Houston 7
Philadelphia 2
Atlanta 7
Los Angeles 2
Milwaukee 6
St. Louis 2
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