The Top Five M's/Yankee Games in Seattle

5) Paciorek's Walk-Off Wizardry, May 1981
A crowd of 51,903, the biggest of the year and fourth-largest in team history, filled the Kingdome one night after Tom Paciorek had hit a walk-off homer. And Paciorek did it again! In the ninth inning, he blasted a two-out, three-run blast over the leftfield fall to win the game for the M's. The Yankees, stunned by the sudden reversal, went on to lose the World Series. box]

4) Gaylord Perry's 300th Win, May 1982
Richard Nixon gave what was likely his first and only call to the Mariner clubhouse before this historic game, giving Gaylord Perry a pep talk before going after his 300th win. Perry then threw a complete game victory, becoming the first pitcher in 19 years to reach the 300-win milestone. Perry also became the first Mariner to make the cover of Sports Illustrated (though Bruce Bochte JUST missed the cut in '79). [Sports Illustrated story] [box]

3. "Get Out the Rye Bread", October 1995
Down 5-0 early in Game 4 of the ALDS vs. the Yankees, the Mariners stave off elimination when Edgar Martinez decided to single-handedly destroy the Yankees--Edgar had seven ribbies in the game, including a game-winning grand slam off of the baggie above the Kingdome's centerfield wall. Dave Niehaus' call: "Get out the mustand and the rye bread Grandma, it's grand salami time." !!! Move over, Shakespeare. [Times game story] [box]

2) Griffey's Walk-Off Starts "Refuse to Lose", August 1995
Behind by a run and down to their last strike with no one on base, the Mariners "refused to lose." Vince Coleman walked, stole two bases, and scored when Joey Cora lined a ball off Tony Fernandez' glove. Then Ken Griffey Jr.'s hammered a walk-off home run--the first of his career--into the second deck in right field. And the '95 miracle was on. Starting here, they won 24 of their their final 35 games to snare their first division championship. [P-I game story] [box]