Russell Branyan watched the Seattle Mariners win their 68th of the season tonight, then dressed and brushed his teeth.

"I can still do that," he said.

What Branyan cannot do is swing a bat or play the game, not with a herniated disk in his back, discovered during an MRI Saturday.

The Mariners deemed it serious enough to put him on the 15-day disabled list, and both they and Branyan know the rest of his season could be in jeopardy.

"It depends how my body responds to rest and treatment," Branyan said of missing the rest of the season. "It's been bothering me since the All-Star break, and it started to affect the way I ran, the way I fielded.

"It just seemed in everyone's best interest to find out what was going on."

Branyan will be given rest and treatment for the disk problem, but knows his season might be over. That would be a shame.

Given the first chance in his career to play every day in the big leagues, he's batted .251 with 31 home runs and 76 RBI in 116 games at age 33.

At the All-Star break, Branyan was hitting .280.

Ichiro is still out, Adrian Beltre still swollen - and you know where! - and now Russell Branyan is on the disabled list with a herniated disk.

That leaves the team with no one with 20 home runs and only one player, Jose Lopez, with more than 55 RBI.

A team that's won with pitching and defense is going to have to pitch better, defend with near perfection and somehow manage to score a run or two along the way.

It's Ian Snell vs. Gil Meche.

Need runs? No problem!

Franklin Gutierrez and Josh Wilson singled to open the first inning, but Jose Lopez popped out.

The rejuvenated Mike Sweeney - contract drive, anyone? - doubled both base runners home, his 25th and 26th RBI of the season.

Jack Hannahan doubled Sweeney home. Jack Wilson doubled Hannahan home.

After one: Mariners 4, Royals 0

KC comeback

Mitch Maier's single was the first Royals hit of the night, but John Buck followed it with his sixth home run.

Yuniesky Betancourt, a pest since Kansas City acquired him, drew a walk. David DeJesus flied out. Willie Bloomquist flied out. Billy Butler flied out.

In the third: Mariners 4, Royals 2

More runs? Just ask!

Hannahan hit his fourth home run of the season, his third as a Mariner, into the right field seats.

Ryan Langerhans singled and, with one out, Rob Johnson homered deep into the lower deck beyond left field.

After four: Mariners 7, Royals 2

Ouch!

Maier lined a ball off Snell's right arm, and while the ball bounced to first for an out, Snell went down like a soccer player kicked in the shin.

He got back up and talked his way into staying in the game.

Buck doubled, Betancourt grounded out and DeJesus flied out.

Snell has his five innings and qualifies for the win, but trainers are looking him over - and he's going to feel this one later.

Miguel Batista will replace Snell in the sixth inning.

In the fifth: Mariners 7, Royals 2

Why they're the Royals

Batista got through the sixth, then lost control in the seventh - giving up back-to-back singles and a walk to load the bases.

After falling behind Buck, 3-0, Batista got a pop up, struck out Betancourt and got a ground ball to end the threat without allowing a run.

In the seventh: Mariners 7, Royals 2

Insurance, anyone?

Jose Lopez led off the eighth inning with his career-high 20th home run, good for his 79th RBI.

Sweeney, the man who cannot be stopped, singled.

Also, here's the update on Snell: His right arm is swollen and bruised, but unbroken.

After eight: Mariners 8, Royals 2

And in the ninth: duck!
Randy Messenger gave up a home run to Mark Tehan and then was chewed out on the mound by pitching coach Rick Adair.

Next pitch: Long home run for Maier.
Messenger then got two popups and a ground ball to end it.

It's a final: Mariners 8, Royals 4

This team has shuffled its roster, rotation and lineup all season, which may make its improvement all the more surprising.

Today, for instance, the Seattle Mariners won't have Ichiro (calf), Adrian Beltre (testicle) or Russell Branyan (back) because of injuries.

In fact, a glance at the Mariners lineup tonight shows six players, including the starting pitcher, who weren't in Seatle when the year began.

Josh Wilson was in San Diego, Bill Hall in Milwaukee, Jack Hannahan in Oakland, Jack Wilson in Pittsburgh, Ryan Langerhans in the minors and Ian Snell in Pittsburgh.

Amazing.

Here's what Don Wakamatsu has put together tonight:

Franklin Gutierrez CF
Josh Wilson 3B
Jose Lopez 2B
Mike Sweeney DH
Bill Hall RF
Jack Hannahan 1B
Jack Wilson SS
Ryan Langerhans LF
Rob Johnson C
Ian Snell RHP