Mariners finish sweep of L.A.

Dave Hansen, owner of more pinch hits than all but four men in baseball history, was on the bench. Francisco Rodriguez, purveyor of a bat-crippling right arm, was on the mound. The situation -- man on second, tie game, ninth inning -- called for a confrontation between the two.

Mike Hargrove, known for his liberal application of late-game left-handers, made no move. Instead, the Mariners manager allowed Yuniesky Betancourt, a rookie playing his 43rd big-league game, to hit for himself. The gesture showed great confidence in a young player, and Betancourt rewarded Hargrove's fidelity.

In only his second career at-bat against the Angels' whip-like closer, Betancourt lined a single through the left side of the Los Angeles infield. Ramon Santiago -- pinch running in place of another rookie, Jose Lopez -- scored from second, beneath Garret Anderson's overthrow, to clinch the series sweep and a 10-9 Mariners triumph before 23,397 in SoDo.

So ended Seattle's second walk-off win in less than 24 hours -- and the second off a rookie's bat. On Tuesday, Greg Dobbs singled after Angels manager Mike Scioscia walked a right-hander to face him. On Wednesday, Scioscia watched his team absorb its eighth walk-off loss since the All-Star break, while the home side provided further evidence of the notion that younger has become better.

"You learn how to win, just like you learn how to hit a curveball or throw a changeup," Hargrove said. "You really do. It doesn't make it easier next time, but they have that confidence.

"It's good to see."

The three-hour, 27-minute daytime saga included a grand total of 31 hits -- 16 for the Angels, 15 for the Mariners -- and plenty of plot twists. Seattle led 6-0 after two innings, but Jamie Moyer coughed it up in his worst start at Safeco Field this season.

The crowd, about 1,000 fans larger than the smallest this season, thinned throughout the gray, 59-degree afternoon, and further dispersed after Bengie Molina's two-out, two-strike, pinch-hit single tied it at 9 in the ninth against Eddie Guardado.

Seattle's defense -- three errors, all in the eighth and ninth -- allowed the last two Los Angeles runs to cross unearned. The Mariners' pitching was not much better. Still, thanks to Raul Ibanez (4 for 5), it was enough to sweep a first-place team for the second time this season and postpone mathematical elimination.

"We'll take it," Hargrove said.

Seattle nearly gave it right back. Lopez booted a would-be, inning-ending double-play ball in the eighth and Chone Figgins scored on Anderson's single one batter later, shaving the Seattle lead to 9-8. The ninth began with errors by Adrian Beltre (fielding) and Eddie Guardado (throwing). Guardado, as he often says, hoped to "pick up" Beltre after his mistake, but instead allowed Molina's big hit.

Rodriguez fanned Beltre with a 94-mph fastball to begin the ninth, but encountered trouble in the person of Lopez, a fellow Venezuelan. Lopez laid off a close curveball before lacing a rare Rodriguez mistake into left-center for a double. Rodriguez walked Dobbs to face Betancourt, who stung a low fastball for the winner.

Betancourt is universally lauded for his defense. Comparisons to Omar Vizquel are fair and frequent. Moyer called him a "pleasure to watch." Still, Betancourt confessed that he most enjoys his time at the plate, despite a .238 average.

"Let's face it," he said through interpreter Gillian Hagamen, "I like to win."

Earlier, Moyer was in great danger of spoiling two streaks. He had not lost at home this season (9-0) and had never lost in 136 career games when handed a lead of four runs or more (123-0, 13 no-decisions). Handed the gaudy lead, he was slapped for seven earned runs and 13 hits.

"He had no command," Hargrove said. "That's not Jamie's game."

Still, the Mariners -- who also swept the Angels in July and split the season series (9-9) -- took another wrench to the Halos' designs on the AL West. Seattle's veterans have found cause to take heart.

"Unfortunately, we're playing the spoiler," Moyer said, "but it's nice to see these small things going on."