Mariners tie record with 116th victory

SEATTLE -- The Seattle Mariners tied the major league record for wins with their 116th Saturday night, beating the Texas Rangers 1-0 behind Bret Boone's first-inning homer.

The Mariners (116-45) can break the record set by the 1906 Chicago Cubs (116-36-3) by winning their final regular season game Sunday against the Rangers. Aaron Sele (15-5) will start against Darren Oliver (11-11).

On Friday night, the Mariners became the winningest team in AL history, passing the record of 114 set by the New York Yankees in 1998.

Rookie Dennis Stark, Paul Abbott, Joel Pineiro (6-2), Jeff Nelson and Kazuhiro Sasaki combined for a two-hitter as the Rangers were shut out for the first time since the final day of last season.

Manager Lou Piniella wanted to sharpen his bullpen for their playoff series against Cleveland that opens here Tuesday.

Pineiro, who pitched two innings, was coming off a three-game suspension for beaning Troy Glaus in Anaheim on Tuesday night in retaliation for the Angels' Lou Pote hitting teammate Edgar Martinez with a pitch.

Sasaki pitched the ninth for his 45th save in 52 opportunities.

Boone homered for the second night in a row, his team-leading 37th, with two outs in the first against Doug Davis (11-10). He took over the AL lead with 141 RBIs.