Ibanez Homers As Mariners Snap Skid
POSTED: 8:28 pm EDT May 11,
2008
Seattle, WA -- (Sports Network) - Raul Ibanez launched a monstrous go-ahead two-run homer and the Seattle Mariners snapped a five-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox.Ichiro Suzuki was 3-for-4 and scored twice, and Yuniesky Betancourt had a pair of hits and two RBI. Mariners starter Miguel Batista (3-4) held on for the win despite lasting only 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on 10 hits and three walks. He struck out six, as the Mariners won for just the second time in their last 12 games. Chicago starter Gavin Floyd (3-2) left after 3 2/3 innings, having given up five runs on a season-high nine hits and two walks. This came following a contest where Floyd was at the top of his game, as the 25-year-old took a no- hitter into the ninth against the Minnesota Twins in a 7-1 victory. "I came into this start feeling pretty good and just gave up some runs," Floyd said. "We got the early lead and tried to keep them there but I just wasn't able to do it today." Orlando Cabrera tied a career-high with four hits and scored a run for Chicago. Carlos Quentin was 2-for-5 with an RBI and scored once for the White Sox, who had their three-game winning streak snapped. Seattle took the lead in the third, 3-2, on an upper-deck two-run homer from Ibanez to right field. The hit scored Suzuki, who led off the inning with an infield hit. The Mariners chased Floyd in the fourth, opening the inning with a single from Kenji Johjima, followed by back-to-back doubles from Wladimir Balentien and Betancourt, the latter of which scored two runs. Floyd stayed on for three more batters, but left after issuing a walk to Adrian Beltre with two outs. Chicago got one back in the sixth. After Juan Uribe stroked a one-out double, Quentin came through with an RBI single, chasing Batista from the contest. Ehren Wassermann came on in the eighth for the White Sox, allowing an insurance run on a Miguel Cairo ground-rule double, scoring Betancourt. J.J. Putz recorded his third save of the season. Chicago opened the game with three straight singles, the third from Jim Thome plated Cabrera. A.J. Pierzynski then doubled home Quentin to make it 2-0. Seattle got one back in the bottom half on a Cairo RBI groundout after Suzuki led off with a double and advanced to third on an error. Game Notes Seattle has won nine of the last 12 games versus the White Sox at Safeco Field...Suzuki extended his hit streak to 11 games...This was Floyd's shortest outing of the season...Chicago continues on the road, opening a four-game set against the Angels Monday, while Seattle travels to Texas for three, beginning the same day.
Copyright 2008 Courtesy of The Sports Network.





