Suzuki gives Seattle win over White Sox in 14th

[September 18, 2009]  SEATTLE (AP) -- Ichiro Suzuki hit a game-ending single to center in the bottom of the 14th inning, leading the Seattle Mariners to a 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.

Jose Lopez and Bill Hall each homered off White Sox closer Bobby Jenks in the ninth to tie it and deny the White Sox a chance to gain on AL Central-leading Detroit, which lost 9-2 to the Royals. Chicago, third in the division, trails Detroit by 6 1/2 games and Minnesota by 4.

With one out in the 14th, Ryan Langerhans singled to center off Scott Linebrink (3-7). Pinch-hitter Kenji Johjima was hit by a pitch then Suzuki hit his 205th hit of the season, scoring Langerhans.

As he rounded first base, the Mariners spilled out of the dugout and chased the star right fielder all the way into the outfield.

Shawn Kelley (5-3) pitched two hitless innings.

The Mariners rally cost John Danks a victory. The left-hander pitched eight strong innings for the White Sox, allowing just four hits and a run.

Mariners starter Brandon Morrow was not nearly as sharp and his latest outing also raised some concerns about where he'll fit in with the team in 2010.

Morrow again struggled with his control, walking a career-high six in 5 2-3 innings. The Mariners' 2006 first-round pick gave up three runs -- two earned -- but failed to live up to his manager's insistence that he pitch deeper in games.

Before the game, Don Wakamatsu intimated Morrow could be pitching for his future. The team has been unimpressed with the right-hander's approach, mostly his inability to throw strikes and running up high pitch counts.

"We try to find some improvement in every outing," Wakamatsu said. "If he can keep getting better, that would put him in position for next year. He's definitely a candidate, but he has to go out and prove out."

To help Morrow acclimate, Wakamatsu even started his batterymate at Triple-A Tacoma, Adam Moore, who was making his major league debut.

Morrow had control problems from the start. He walked the leadoff hitter, Scott Podsednik, and then gave up a sharp single to Gordon Beckham. A sacrifice fly from A.J. Pierzynski drew rumblings from the crowd, and gave the White Sox a 1-0 lead. They would add the next two on RBI singles from Mark Kotsay in the third and fifth.

The Mariners scored their first run in the seventh on a homer by Adrian Beltre.

NOTES: The White Sox likely will skip Gavin Floyd's next start. The right-hander left Wednesday's start after just three innings because of soreness in his hip. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said Floyd will be shut down for the season if the pain doesn't subside. "I think the main thing for us, we have to keep this guy healthy for the future," Guillen said.

[Associated Press]

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