Mariner Log -- Rodriguez Unlikely To Return To Tacoma

Infielder Luis Sojo is nearly ready to come off the disabled list when eligible (June 22), but don't expect shortstop Alex Rodriguez to be sent back to Class AAA Tacoma.

"Rodriguez is doing a nice job. Our struggles recently have nothing to do with him," Manager Lou Piniella said. "We may just leave him and let him play."

Rodriguez has made just two errors in 17 games and has been hitting major-league pitching better. He went 5 for 8 the first two games of the series against Kansas City, including his first major-league home run, before going 0 for 4 yesterday.

Notes

-- Left-hander Steve Frey was given a magnetic-resonance-imaging exam to check out the source of the ache in his shoulder.

-- Outfielder Jay Buhner will take batting practice tomorrow for the first time since going on the DL.

-- Kansas City became the first team to win a series at the Kingdome this season. The Mariners won the first five series.

-- The Mariners' annual Cystic Fibrosis Golf Tournament at Bear Creek Country Club, chaired by Randy Johnson and Buhner, has raised $100,000.

-- Promotions: Friday is Bobby Ayala Trading Card Night. Sunday is Jay Buhner Sunglasses Day.

Dome watch.

Daily look at whether a Mariner retractable-roof stadium would be open or closed. Criteria are same as in Toronto for SkyDome - 60 degrees at game's start, no forecast for rain. .

Temp. Sky Roof. Yesterday: 62 cloudy closed. . Season to date: 16 open, 3 closed. . Attendance.

Yesterday 12,585. Home season total: 343,362. Avg. for 19 games: 18,072. Avg. last season: 25,095. . Mariner farm teams. . AAA: Tacoma (33-32) 7-7, Salt Lake 5-1. AA: Port City (30-37) 11, Knoxville 5. A: Rancho Cucamonga 13, Riverside (33-33) 4. A: Wisconsin (26-38) 5, Rockford 1.