Mariners closer Putz on road to All-Star season

SEATTLE -- J.J. Putz doesn't need a campaign to make his first All-Star team. He just has to show up to work.

Seattle's emerging star closer blew through the Boston Red Sox this week to convert his 24th consecutive save chance, the longest current streak in the majors.

"If someone doesn't know him, someone's not paying attention," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "He's one of the best. I know the players know it."

Mariners manager Mike Hargrove had Jose Mesa in Cleveland, when Mesa saved 46 of 48 games in 1995 to lead the Indians into their first World Series in four decades.

"Putz is better than Mesa," Hargrove said, without hesitation. "And that's not a knock on Jose. I like Jose. He saved 46 games for me one year and then 39 the next. That's a lot of games.

"But J.J.? He's pretty good," Hargrove said, chuckling.

The Mariners are 36-1 when leading after seven innings and 35-0 when carrying a lead into the ninth, Putz's domain.

After finishing last in the AL West three straight times, the Mariners have a five-game winning streak and are nine games over .500, matching their season high. Seattle is five games behind the Los Angeles Angels for the division lead.

Putz, who has 40 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings, figures to become an All-Star when rosters are announced on Sunday. He has allowed just 15 hits and six walks in 34 games, and his 0.99 ERA is second in the major leagues to the 0.95 ERA of Boston's Hideki Okajima among pitchers with at least 18 appearances.

"His numbers don't lie. He is as good as his numbers are," said Boston's Kevin Youkilis, who at least made contact against Putz while grounding out in the eighth inning Tuesday.

That was after David Ortiz struck out yet again versus Putz. Ortiz is 0-for-5 with five strikeouts in his career against him. That's the most whiffs Ortiz has without hit against any pitcher he's faced in his 11-year career.

In the eighth inning Tuesday, Ortiz struck out on a 91 mph split-fingered fastball in a one-run game. And in the ninth inning Wednesday, Putz zinged a 97 mph fastball past "Big Papi" with the scored tied at 1.

"Yeah, it's exciting," Putz said.