four in a row is nice...

When Tino Martinez hits at Yankee Stadium, the fans transport themselves to a time when championships seemed assured. Martinez was fiery, dependable and occasionally transcendent, and the fans still revere him.

Martinez does not need the man who replaced him, Jason Giambi, to decay for the fans to love him. But as Giambi's status becomes cloudier, Martinez is standing ever taller in the Bronx.

His home run tear continued last night as the Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners, 7-4, in Chien-Ming Wang's first major league victory.

Martinez has eight home runs this season, including six in his last seven starts. His two-run shot last night broke a 2-2 tie, started a five-run third inning and earned him his daily curtain call.