National Sports Seattle opens up 21-game lead in West

Ashland Daily Tidings (Ashland, OR — Wayback)

2003-07-08

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--> --> Seattle opens up 21-game lead in West ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - The last time the Angels won the AL West, Bret Boone's father was their catcher. Fifteen years later, it probably won't happen again this year - not after the Seattle Mariners widened their AL West lead over Anaheim to 21 games Sunday with a 5-0 victory and completed their second three-game sweep of the Angels. "When you're winning games like we're winning games and having this type of first half, if you can't have fun in this environment, then you can't have fun," said Boone, whose two-run homer increased his league-leading RBI total to 80 with a week still left before the All-Star break. Boone, 32, is seven years younger than his dad - 19-year veteran and four-time All-Star Bob Boone - was in 1986 when the Angels came within one pitch of going to the World Series. Now, Bret is putting up MVP numbers that may result in Seattle's first-ever trip to the World Series. "I think I can continue to do what I'm doing," said the Mariners' second baseman, who is hitting .328 with 21 homers. "I know we're only halfway there and there's still a long way to go, but that's something that's not even in my thoughts right now. I'm just concerned about playing like I've been playing and helping this team win games." "I think it was the way he set an example by the way he played, the way he went about his business and the way he carried himself," Bret said about his father. "I think the best advice I've learned from my dad was about how you act as a major league player. And to me, he epitomized what a professional is." Rangers 3, Athletics 1 Bo Porter's three-run homer with two outs in the eighth inning off Mark Mulder lifted Texas over Oakland. In the first seven innings, the host Rangers managed only doubles by Rafael Palmeiro in the second and Andres Galarraga in the fifth. Mulder (8-6) allowed three runs and six hits in 7 2-3 innings. Mike Venafro (2-2) pitched 1 1-3 innings of one-hit relief. Jeff Zimmerman worked the ninth for his 11th save. Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing