Tigers score in 15th to beat Mariners 2-1

The Mariners went into Sunday's game against the Detroit Tigers more short-handed than anyone knew, a secret manager Jim Riggleman would have liked to have kept.

But a deficiency of relief pitchers was exposed for all to see in the form of backup catcher Jamie Burke taking the mound in a game that lasted 15 innings.

With the innings piling up and no more relievers available, Riggleman improvised. He called on Burke, a journeyman who had four relief appearances in the minor leagues to his credit, with no runs allowed.

That ended Sunday when Burke gave up a leadoff double in the 15th, uncorked a wild pitch and allowed a run-scoring sacrifice fly, giving Detroit a 2-1 lead. The Tigers won by that score, nullifying a number of standout Seattle pitching performances and equally stellar defensive plays that kept the Mariners in their longest game, innings-wise, of the season.

After the game, the biggest question was why Riggleman didn't go with Arthur Rhodes or Brandon Morrow in the 15th instead of Burke, who took the loss.

"Arthur, he came in today and said he slept on his arm funny and just didn't feel good," Riggleman said. "So he said, 'If I get up, I want to get in.' He didn't want to get up [in the bullpen] and down. So we had a point in the lineup where we were going to use him, and Norm [Charlton, bullpen coach] called down and said he's not feeling too good. So we shut him down."

Morrow was out for the day after appearing in four of the past five games. Riggleman didn't want to take chances, not being fully aware of Morrow's durability and rest needs.

That just left position players. And as the game wore on, Riggleman didn't have to look hard for volunteers to pitch.

"I had a couple of guys come to me and say, 'Hey, skip, I can pitch,' " Riggleman said.

Burke was one. Willie Bloomquist and Adrian Beltre were others. Even R.A. Dickey, who had started Saturday and thrown six innings and 105 pitches, told Riggleman he would see if he could get loose.

"It was just a real team effort," Riggleman said. "For us to be where we are in the standings, for those guys to be risking injury to go out there and extend themselves like Dickey was willing to do, and Burke, Beltre and Bloomquist to offer to do that, that makes a real statement about how they feel about their teammates."

Those teammates laughed and smiled in the dugout after Burke -- who entered the game as a catcher in the ninth inning -- walked off the mound having allowed a double to Miguel Cabrera and the decisive run on a sacrifice fly by Marcus Thames.

"Obviously, you want to win, but for me it's not scary," said Burke, who was the first Mariners position player to pitch in a game since John Mabry on May 28, 2000. "I just stayed focused on trying to throw strikes and go from there."

The wild pitch Burke unloaded moved Cabrera to third with no outs. Burke said he shook off catcher Jeff Clement a couple of times, and thought he could have gone another inning or two if needed.

But the Mariners failed to capitalize on Bloomquist leading off the bottom of the 15th by reaching base on a hit by pitch. Yuniesky Betancourt grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, and Ichiro flied out to end the game.

Several Mariners shined in the losing cause. Ryan Rowland-Smith, in just his second start of the season, allowed one run on five hits through a career-high five innings. Seattle relievers tossed nine shutout innings, led by Cesar Jimenez's four with three strikeouts.

On defense, outfielders Bloomquist and Ichiro made two diving and sliding catches apiece, and third baseman Beltre got the Mariners out of a bases-loaded jam in the second inning with a fine stop of a Placido Polanco ground ball.

On offense, however, Tigers starter Nate Robertson silenced the Mariners. He allowed just a run on four hits in nine innings and 100 pitches. He twice retired DH Richie Sexson — who was 0 for 6 — with a runner in scoring position and the game tied in the later innings.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com

Information in this article, originally published July 7, 2008, was corrected July 7, 2008. A previous version of this story contained an error. Jamie Burke, a Mariners catcher who pitched in the 15th inning of Sunday's game, originally came into the game in the ninth inning as a catcher. He did not start the game at catcher.