Bedard, Mariners beat O's 8-2

[June 03, 2009]  SEATTLE (AP) -- Erik Bedard pitched like an ace against his former team, Ichiro Suzuki extended his hitting streak to a team-record 26 consecutive games and the Seattle Mariners beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-2 on Tuesday night.

Bedard (4-2) allowed one run and four hits in 6 1-3 innings to lower his ERA to 2.37, fourth-best in the AL. He struck out seven while throwing a season-high 112 pitches.

Ken Griffey Jr. and new No. 2 hitter Russell Branyan homered for Seattle, which led 5-0 after six innings.

David Hernandez (1-1) allowed five runs and 10 hits over 5 1-3 innings in his second major league start for Baltimore.

Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu moved Branyan up to second in the lineup, and it paid off -- at least for one night. The AL's lowest-scoring lineup busted out for 16 hits against four Baltimore pitchers.

Suzuki extended his hitting streak by chopping the third pitch of the game to the right of shortstop Cesar Izturis. Izturis' rushed throw pulled Ty Wigginton off the bag, but Suzuki had already reached first.

Some in the crowd of 17,978 gave the eight-time All-Star a standing ovation as his record was announced. Suzuki remained stoic during the cheers.

This is his seventh hitting streak of at least 20 games since he arrived in Seattle for the 2001 season. That ties him with George Sisler for the fourth most 20-plus game hitting streaks. Willie Keeler, Ty Cobb and Pete Rose had eight.

Branyan then singled. But Hernandez got Adrian Beltre to pop out. He struck out Griffey and was about to extend Seattle's misery with runners on base when Jose Lopez sent a drive to left field. Rookie Nolan Reimold didn't react immediately, then ran late, jumped and had the ball pop out of his glove at the edge of the warning track. Lopez's double gave the Mariners a 2-0 lead.

Branyan hit a two-run shot off Jamie Walker in the eighth for his team-leading 12th homer. Two batters later, Griffey hit career homer No. 617. Teammate Ronny Cedeno jumped on the 39-year-old's back before Griffey deftly avoided a dugout kiss from teammate Carlos Silva.

Bedard actually smiled once or twice on the field. A day earlier, the intensely private left-hander joked he hoped not to laugh while facing his friends for the first time since he was traded to Seattle for outfielder Adam Jones, reliever George Sherrill and three other players in February 2008.

He was scheduled to face the Orioles early last season but was scratched from the start because of a hip injury.

Bedard has allowed two runs or fewer in seven of his 10 starts this season. He could become a free agent at the end of the season.

Old pal Aubrey Huff had him smiling behind the mound in the second inning after the designated hitter passed closely by him following a flyout.

The stakes were higher in their next matchup. With two on and no outs in the fourth and Seattle leading 2-0, Huff flew out to deep left-center field.

This time, Huff huffed. He stomped into a hallway to the visiting clubhouse to bang on anything he saw in frustration. Bedard then got Melvin Mora to pop out and Wigginton to line out.

Notes: Suzuki's first of two hits was his 23rd infield single, and 15th in his last 24 games. ... Jones had his 23rd multihit game of the season. That's tied for second in the AL with Robinson Cano and Derek Jeter of the Yankees. Toronto's Aaron Hill has 24.

[Associated Press; By GREGG BELL]

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