Seattle Sweeps Chicago

S E A T T L E, Oct. 6 -- The Seattle Mariners used a squeeze to sweep.

Shutting down the highest-scoring team in the majors for thethird straight game, the wild card Mariners beat the Chicago WhiteSox 2-1 on pinch-hitter Carlos Guillen’s bunt single in the bottomof the ninth inning today to win their AL playoff series.

The Mariners, who didn’t clinch their playoff spot until thefinal day of the regular season, won with one out when pinch-runnerRickey Henderson scored on Guillen’s safety-squeeze bunt.

John Olerud led off the inning with a hard liner off the stomachof Kelly Wunsch. The reliever scrambled to pick up the ball, butthrew it wildly past first baseman Frank Thomas.

Olerud reached second on a play scored as a single and an error.Henderson, baseball’s career stolen base king and second on theall-time runs list, replaced Olerud, and Keith Foulke relievedWunsch.

Henderson moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Stan Javier andDavid Bell drew a four-pitch walk.

Guillen, making his first appearance of the series, batted forJoe Oliver.

Clutch HitWith Chicago’s infield and outfield playing in, Guillen draggeda sharp bunt between the mound and first base. When the ball rolledpast a lunging Thomas, Henderson easily scored.

“That was me,” Guillen said. “I just wanted to try to hit theball hard.”

Guillen was one of the players the Mariners received from theHouston Astros in the trade for ace Randy Johnson on July 31, 1998.

The 3-0 sweep in the opening round — achieved in the year theMariners traded Ken Griffey Jr. to Cincinnati — sent the Marinersinto the AL championship series for the first time since 1995. Theywill play the winner of the Oakland-Yankees series.

Bullpen Shines AgainSeattle’s bullpen again was the star of the game.

Jose Paniagua got the victory by striking out Magglio Ordonezfor the final out in the ninth. Arthur Rhodes pitched 1 1-3scoreless innings before Paniagua entered.