Mariners Bound Angels

In spring training, John Halama was absolutely terrible. Now, he's the top pitcher on the Seattle Mariners' staff with a 4-0 record.

Halama pitched six strong innings and Edgar Martinez hit a leadoff homer in a four-run sixth as the Seattle Mariners beat the Anaheim Angels 8-2 on Sunday.

"It's a difference of getting the ball up in the zone and keeping it down in the zone," Halama said. "I've found myself mechanically. I did not throw the ball well in spring training and I'd be the first to admit it."

Halama lowered his ERA from 5.79 to 4.74 in his fifth start.

Halama didn't give up a hit after surrendering a run on two singles in the first inning. He struck out a career-high eight and walked three.

"I'd rather do without the eight strikeouts," Halama said. "I'd rather let them hit the ball and put it in play. I'm not a strikeout pitcher."

This spring, Halama allowed seven home runs and had an 8.06 ERA. He's allowed one homer this season.

Leading 2-1, the Mariners sent 10 batters to the plate in the sixth. After Martinez's sixth homer of the season, Mark McLemore had a sacrifice fly that was dropped by right fielder Tim Salmon for an error.

The msplay made it 4-1 and finished Scott Schoeneweis (4-1).

Facing Eric Weaver, Mike Cameron followed with a 395-foot single that glanced off the glove of center fielder Garret Anderson to score a run and keep the bases loaded. Weaver then walked Stan Javier for the final run of the inning.

Schoeneweis went 5 1-3 innings, giving up six runs five earned run on six hits and five walks. He was hit in the lower back by Dan Wilson's line drive, but stayed in the game.

After the game, Schoeneweis said he was fine and felt fortunate.

"I'm sure it will be stiff tomorrow," he said of his back. "Any time that happens, of course, you're concerned. No matter how bad it hurt, I didn't want to come out of the game. It shows weakness."

Schoeneweis survived a bout of testicular cancer when he was at Duke in 1994.

Wilson, who beat the throw to first base, voiced concern over the Anaheim left-hander.

"It can be scary," Wilson said. "Those balls come back at the pitcher very fast sometimes."

After the Angels took a 1-0 lead on Anderson's RBI single, the Mariners tied the score on Martinez's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first. Seattle went ahead 2-1 in the fourth on David Bell's RBI double.

The Mariners scored two runs on four walks and a wild pitch in the eighth off Weaver and Derrick Turnbow.

Anaheim added their second run off Jose Mesa in the ninth with a double by Scott Spiezio and an RBI single by Gabe Molina.

Three Angels pitchers walked 12 batters, tying a team record.

The Mariners had a scary moment of their own when Mark McLemore was hit in the back of his batting helmet by a hard-hit foul ball by Martinez when Martinez batted for the second time in the sixth. McLemore stayed in the game.

"It can be a tough game," said McLemore, who said he wasn't hurt.

Said Martinez: "He tried to get out of the way, he tried to duck. But you don't have a glove and sometimes it's reall hard to get out of the way."

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