ARLINGTON, Texas -- Seattle Mariners designated hitter Edgar Martinez has a ruptured left hamstring and had surgery Saturday.

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	Martinez

Martinez injured the hamstring while running out a grounder to third base in the ninth inning of Thursday's 8-4 victory that completed a four-game sweep at Anaheim. The six-time All-Star had to be helped off the field.

An MRI exam was done Friday, and the Mariners put Martinez on the disabled list. Rick Griffin, Seattle's trainer, said the exam revealed a ruptured tendon behind Martinez's knee.

The surgery was performed in Arlington by Dr. John Conway, team orthopedist for the Texas Rangers. The ruptured tendon was removed, a procedure that Griffin said was relatively new but shouldn't cause any lasting effects.

"He should make a full recovery, and get back to where he was," Griffin said before the surgery.

Griffin refused to speculate how long Martinez would be out. He said that couldn't be determined until after the surgery, which he classified as "minor."

"It hurts anybody to lose your fourth hitter, and one of the best hitters in baseball," Seattle manager Lou Piniella said.

Martinez, who as walking awkwardly in the clubhouse before Friday's series opener, was limited to just 42 games in 1993 after he injured his left hamstring in a spring training game.

"It feels a little better than in '93, when I could hardly walk at home," Martinez said. "I have movement with some pain."

Ruben Sierra, who resurrected his career in Texas the past 1½ seasons, was the starting DH on Friday night and hit a first-inning grand slam in Seattle's 7-3 victory.

The Mariners purchased the contract of first baseman Ron Wright from Triple-A Tacoma of the Pacific Coast League. Wright, who has 121 homers in the minors the last eight seasons without playing in the majors, signed with Seattle as a free agent during the offseason.

Martinez knew something was wrong when he got about halfway to first base Thursday night. He peeled off the basepath and fell to the ground even before touching the base.

"I know something really snapped in there," Martinez said. "What I felt wasn't a strain or a mild pull. It felt like it did in '93."

Martinez, a .319 career hitter going into this season, was off to a slow start at .243 (9-for-37) with no homers and five RBI his first 10 games.