Ichiro hits 2 homers as Mariners beat Red Sox 5-4

[May 16, 2009]  SEATTLE (AP) -- Ichiro Suzuki hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning and connected twice overall, and the Seattle Mariners rallied from four runs down to beat the Boston Red Sox, playing without a benched David Ortiz, 5-4 on Friday night.

Suzuki hit a solo shot for Seattle's first run in the fifth, then sent a 3-1 fastball from Jon Lester into the first row of seats beyond right field for his fourth two-homer game and first since July 30, 2005.

Ortiz was benched indefinitely a day after he went 0-for-7 and stranded 12 base runners in an extra-inning loss at the Los Angeles Angels. Ortiz has gone 144 at-bats since his last home run on Sept. 22 against Cleveland's Zach Jackson at Fenway Park.

Though available as a pinch hitter, Francona did not give Big Papi a chance to end the drought one at-bat shy of matching the longest dry spell for homers in his career.

Chris Jakubauskas (2-4) survived allowing four runs -three earned - and nine base runners in the first three innings to last six innings. He gave up seven hits for his first career win as a starter - on his sixth try. Sean White and Mark Lowe pitched two scoreless innings behind the 29-year-old former shoe salesman.

Then David Aardsma, discarded by Boston in a trade after last season, gave up a two-out single to J.D. Drew, who had three hits replacing Ortiz as Boston's No. 3 hitter, before getting Jason Bay to fly out at the left-field wall for his fourth save in four chances. Aardsma is taking over for demoted closer Brandon Morrow.

Seattle won for just the second time in 11 games.

Boston lost its third straight on its final West Coast swing of the season.

Ellsbury doubled, tripled and beat out an infield chop for a single in his first three at-bats while the Red Sox built a 4-0 lead.

Rocco Baldelli struck out three times while replacing Ortiz as the designated hitter.

Lester (2-4) took a 4-1 lead into the sixth and Yuniesky Betancourt hit a potential inning-ending double-play one-hopper back to him. But Lester double-pumped and never threw to second base. He settled for the out at first.

Franklin Gutierrez followed with a two-run single to make it 4-3, Seattle's first hit in 11 at-bats with runners in scoring position.

Then came Suzuki's third home run of the season, and second in as many innings, stunning Lester and the crowd of 34,952 that had been split evenly into Red Sox and Mariners rooters during the first four, dreary innings for the home team.

Lester bowed his head and walked off the field dejectedly to end what started as another joyful homecoming for the Tacoma, Wash., native. He allowed eight hits and five runs in 5 2-3 innings, six days after he allowed a career-high eight runs to Tampa Bay.

Notes: Red Sox RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka, on the DL since April 15 with a strained shoulder, allowed three hits and two earned runs in five innings while striking out nine for Triple-A Pawtucket at Toledo. ... RHP John Smoltz, on the DL following shoulder surgery, threw to about 10 batters in two innings of an extended spring training game in Florida on his 42nd birthday. Smoltz is scheduled to throw three innings in another extended spring game Wednesday. ... Seattle will start former Baltimore LHP Garrett Olson on Saturday in place of LHP Erik Bedard. Manager Don Wakamatsu said Bedard, scratched because of a hamstring strain, should be able to take his next turn next week against the Angels.

[Associated Press; By GREGG BELL]

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