Bad blood continues, two Blue Jays ejected

In this game of intimidation and retaliation, the Mariners came out ahead over the Toronto Blue Jays after a series of hit batsmen and brushback pitches.

The Blue Jays lost three of the four games and yesterday plate umpire Rich Rieker ejected reliever John Frascatore and Manager Jim Fregosi in the eighth inning after an inside pitch to Alex Rodriguez.

It's hard to say when the bad blood began. It may have started in April during the clubs' first series against each other in Toronto. John Olerud was hit by a Pedro Borbon pitch in the eighth inning on April 15 after a Rodriguez grand slam. In that series, Frascatore allowed six runs in one inning on April 15 and two more runs in one-third of an inning the following day.

Saturday, it just happened to be Frascatore who hit Rodriguez in the ribs with a fastball in the seventh inning. The two talked and gestured at each other, the benches emptied, but nothing happened. Mariner Manager Lou Piniella, when asked if he believed the pitch was intentional, said, "We think it was."

So in the second inning yesterday, Mariner starter Aaron Sele plunked one of the Blue Jays' top players, Carlos Delgado, on the leg. Tit for tat, but it didn't end there.

Toronto starter Kelvim Escobar extended the plunking spree by hitting David Bell in the hip to open the third inning. There was no reaction. Bell just trotted to first base. However, that began a five-run inning for the Mariners.

Seattle reliever Jose Mesa hit Tony Batista high on the left shoulder to begin the eighth. Piniella immediately lifted Mesa. The Blue Jays followed with successive singles to load the bases with no outs. But after two runs scored, Jose Paniagua got out of the inning with a double play.

What was going around came around again in the bottom of the eighth. Frascatore threw a fastball at the head of Rickey Henderson, who collapsed to the ground to avoid it.

"You can't get upset; you know what's right and you go out there and take it to them," said Henderson, who didn't even look at the mound. "After a brushback, I think it wakes up a team. I just found my bat and got right back in there."

Henderson eventually went to first on a base on balls, as did Mark McLemore, bringing up Rodriguez to again face Frascatore. On the second pitch, Frascatore threw well inside at the knees and Rodriguez managed to avoid it. Rieker immediately ejected Frascatore. When Fregosi trotted from the dugout to protest, he was ejected as well.

"If it's carryover from (Saturday), then that's very unprofessional by the umpire," Delgado said. "He let the situation get out of hand."

Fregosi added, "I think it's ridiculous when you start protecting superstars (Rodriguez) and other people don't (get protected). They get hit and not a word is said."

When told about Fregosi's comment, Rodriguez said, "He must be smarter than I am."

There was one final incident in the ninth. With two outs and a 0-2 count on Toronto's Homer Bush, Paniagua hit the batter on the shoulder. Paniagua struck out the next batter to end the game.

How the runs scored

Mariner third: Bell was hit by a pitch. Henderson walked, Bell to second. McLemore struck out. A.Rodriguez safe at second on Ducey's error, Bell scored, Henderson to third. Martinez infield single, Henderson scored. On Gonzalez's error, A.Rodriguez to third, Martinez to second. Olerud grounded out to first, A.Rodriguez scored, Martinez to third. Buhner homered, Martinez scored. Cameron grounded out to shortstop. 5 runs, 2 hits, 2 errors, 0 left on. Mariners 5, Blue Jays 0.

Blue Jay fourth: Batista walked. Delgado singled, Batista to second. Fullmer singled, Batista scored, Delgado to third. Cruz grounded into a double play, Delgado scored, Fullmer out. Fletcher struck out. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Mariners 5, Blue Jays 2.

Mariner fifth: A.Rodriguez homered. Martinez flied out to center. Olerud grounded out to first. Buhner struck out. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on. Mariners 6, Blue Jays 2.

Blue Jay seventh: Fullmer homered. Cruz grounded out to pitcher. Fletcher homered. Cordova flied out to right. Gonzalez singled. Mesa pitching. Ducey singled, Gonzalez to second. Bush struck out. 2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Mariners 6, Blue Jays 4.

Mariner seventh: Henderson walked. McLemore grounded into fielder's choice, Henderson out. A.Rodriguez walked, McLemore to second. Martinez walked, McLemore to third, A.Rodriguez to second. Borbon pitching. Olerud singled, McLemore scored, A.Rodriguez scored, Martinez to second. On Fletcher's passed ball, Martinez to third, Olerud to second. Buhner was intentionally walked. Frascatore pitching. Cameron hit a sacrifice fly to left, Martinez scored. Wilson lined out to second. 3 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 left on. Mariners 9, Blue Jays 4.

Blue Jay eighth: Batista was hit by a pitch. Ramsay pitching. Delgado singled, Batista to second. Fullmer singled, Batista to third, Delgado to second. Cruz infield single, Batista scored, Delgado to third, Fullmer to second. Fletcher grounded into fielder's choice, Delgado scored, Fullmer to third, Cruz out. Paniagua pitching. Cordova grounded into a double play, Fletcher out. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Mariners 9, Blue Jays 6.

Mariner eighth: Bell popped out to second. Henderson walked. Henderson stole second. McLemore walked. Quantrill pitching. A.Rodriguez walked, Henderson to third, McLemore to second. Martinez hit a sacrifice fly to right, Henderson scored, McLemore to third. Olerud flied out to center. 1 run, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Mariners 10, Blue Jays 6.

Farm report

AAA: Tacoma (57-51) 2, Las Vegas 1 (12)

AA: Harrisburg 9, New Haven (60-44) 0

A: Wisconsin (22-14) 9, Cedar Rapids 4

A: Everett (20-18) at Boise, late

A: Lancaster (27-9) at Bakersfield, late