KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWSPAPERS

KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
NEW YORK -- Perhaps there is not a more unassuming player on the Yankees than Nick Johnson.
The first baseman/designated hitter hardly mutters a word. He smirks when a quote would be better. He shrugs when a response is necessary. Basically, the guy would rather not talk or show much emotion.
So when he does show an outward display, even the slightest gesture, the importance of the moment seems magnified.
Johnson raised his right hand, held in a fist, and made a quick pumping motion as he rounded first base after hitting the decisive grand slam Friday night in the Yankees' 9-7 win against the Seattle Mariners.
Johnson's home run in the sixth inning off starter Ryan Franklin brought the Yankees back from a 5-4 deficit.
Johnson's RBI single in the eighth off Armando Benitez, a teammate just two days ago, extended the Yankees' lead to two runs. Johnson finished with a career-high four hits and five RBI.
Jeff Nelson, in his second game since returning to the Yankees on Wednesday, pitched a scoreless eighth inning, striking out the side.
Mariano Rivera picked up his 23rd save with a scoreless ninth. Coupled with the Red Sox losing a day-night doubleheader, the Yankees extended their lead in the AL East to four games.
Prior to Friday's game, Yankees' manager Joe Torre pondered the different themes heading into the weekend series.
There's the matchup of the two Boone brothers (the Yankees' Aaron and the Mariners' Bret), the fight for the best record in the American League, the return of Benitez, the possibility of Nelson pitching against his former team.
Oh yeah, and there's also the duel between Japanese superstars Hideki Matsui and Ichiro Suzuki.
"We're trying not to get caught up in too many story lines," said Torre.
Torre knows, that for all the sideshows, the games are what really matter.
"It's three days and there's a chance we'll both meet again in the postseason," said Torre.
The Mariners took the lead in the second inning off Jeff Weaver on a one-out walk to Randy Winn and Mike Cameron's triple down the left field line that got past Karim Garcia.
The Yankees scored three runs off Franklin in the second. Matsui led off with a line drive home run to right field. Aaron Boone and Karim Garcia singled, putting men on first and second. John Flaherty's sacrifice bunt advanced the runners and after a David Dellucci fly out to center, Alfono Soriano singled to left, driving in both runners to give the Yankees a 3-1 lead.
The Mariners rallied for four runs in the fifth to jump ahead, 5-3. Ben Davis singled and came home on Mark McLemore's double in the left-center field gap. Suzuki then bunted for a base hit. Willie Bloomquist, pinch-hitting for former Met Rey Sanchez, who left the game with a strained right quadriceps, sacrificed McLemore and Suzuki to third and second, respectively.
Following a visit from pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre, Weaver seemed to compose himself as he struck out Bret Boone for the second out.
But Weaver walked John Olerud to load the bases and fell behind DH Edgar Martinez, 2-and-0. Martinez, on a 3-and-1 pitch, hit a broken-bat single to left field, scoring McLemore and Suzuki to give the Mariners a 4-3 lead. Randy Winn singled to center to drive in Olerud and Cameron followed with a single to left to load the bases.
Weaver's night was finished as Torre summoned Sterling Hitchcock.
The inconsistent Weaver got no sympathy from Yankee fans, who booed him as he left the field. Weaver pitched 4(ASTERISK) innings, allowing five runs on nine hits while striking out two.
Hitchcock fell behind 1-and-0 to Davis. The catcher, on the following pitch, hit a sinking liner to right field. David Dellucci sprinted toward the ball, dived -- fully extended -- and made a fantastic diving catch to end the inning, saving the Yankees for the moment.
Seattle threatened off Hitchcock in the sixth. Bloomquist, with two outs, bunted for a base hit. After Boone walked, Hitchcock got Olerud to ground out to second base to end the inning.
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(c) 2003, The Record (Bergen County, N.J.)
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