Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) – Seattle left fielder Matt Tuiasosopo clubbed a three-run homer and made a spectacular diving catch to preserve the lead in the eighth inning, as the Mariners beat the Baltimore Orioles, 6-5, in the rubber match of a three-game series at Camden Yards.
Ichiro Suzuki and Casey Kotchman both had an RBI double for the Mariners, who have won seven of their last 10 games. David Pauley (2-4) gave up four runs on five hits in six-plus innings. The right-hander had picked up his first major league win in his last start at Cleveland on Friday.
Matt Wieters hit a two-run homer and Luke Scott added a two-run single for the Orioles, who have dropped five of seven. Jeremy Guthrie (7-12) was charged with six runs — five earned — on eight hits over eight innings.
Kotchman’s ground-rule double scored pinch-runner Ryan Langerhans to put the visitors up 6-4 in the eighth.
The O’s got the run back in the bottom of the inning. Scott ripped a one-out double off Seattle reliever Jamey Wright, advanced to third on a balk and came home on a wild pitch to Adam Jones that was ball four.
Wright was pulled in favor of Sean White following the walk to Jones, who moved up to second on a groundout. Wieters then hit a line drive the opposite way to left, but Tuiasosopo robbed him of a potential tying hit.
David Aardsma took the hill for Seattle in the ninth and gave up a leadoff single to Cesar Izturis, who advanced on a sacrifice bunt by pinch-hitter Julio Lugo. Aardsma, though, struck out Brian Roberts and retired Nick Markakis on a sharply hit comebacker to record his 24th save of the season.
Scott staked Baltimore to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but Tuiasosopo, who drove in all four runs in Tuesday’s shutout win, put the Mariners in front.
Jose Lopez doubled to begin the second, extending his hitting streak to 10 games, and Franklin Gutierrez reached on an infield single. A Kotchman groundout moved both runners into scoring position. After Adam Moore was called out on strikes, Tuiasosopo belted a 2-1 pitch over the left-field wall.
Suzuki doubled home Josh Wilson in the fifth, taking third on Markakis’ fielding error, and scored on Chone Figgins’ sacrifice fly to give Seattle a three-run cushion.
The O’s trimmed their deficit in the seventh. Felix Pie led off with a single and Wieters followed with a blast to right to chase Pauley from the game.
Guthrie had won his last three starts…The Mariners won the season series, 6-3.