Indians scalp Mariners, 10-1
SEATTLE-- Eight was enough for the streaking Seattle Mariners.
Michael Bourn hit a grand slam, Asdrubal Cabrera added three hits and a career-high three RBIs, and Scott Kazmir pitched eight innings of one-hit ball as the Cleveland Indians battered Seattle 10-1 on Wednesday to end the Mariners' eight-game winning streak.
Seattle (48-53) had just two hits for the game and didn't get one off Kazmir until the fifth inning, when the Indians already had an 8-1 lead. Kazmir (6-4) gave up an unearned run while striking out seven over eight innings of work before Seattle got its second hit of the game off reliever Vinnie Pestano in the bottom of the ninth.
"That was much needed, and a good day," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "... It's just nice to bounce back after losing a couple of tough ones."
Bourn hit a 3-2 pitch over the center field fence for a two-out grand slam in the top of the fifth, then Cabrera added a solo home run in the sixth as the Indians (53-48) piled up their highest run total since beating the White Sox 19-10 on June 28.
"Just one of those days," said Mariners starter Joe Saunders, who gave up nine hits and five earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work. "It just wasn't our day."
The Indians had 12 hits for the game, beginning with Bourn's bunt single to lead off the first. Cleveland jumped on Saunders (9-9) early, taking a 3-0 lead on back-to-back doubles from Cabrera and Carlos Santana in the top of the first.
A Seattle error helped the Indians in the top of the third, when center fielder Michael Saunders misplayed a ground-ball single to allow Cabrera to get to second base before a Santana double put Cleveland ahead 4-1.
Joe Saunders allowed back-to-back baserunners in the fifth before reliever Hector Noesi came on and loaded the bases with a walk. Noesi then gave up the grand slam, the first of Bourn's career, as the Indians built up an 8-1 lead.
Justin Smoak ended four innings of hitless baseball for Seattle with a leadoff single in the fifth, but by that time Kazmir and the Indians were already on cruise control.
The Mariners got their lone run with help of a Cleveland error in the second inning. Cabrera botched a throw to second on what would have been the final out of the inning, and the ball went all the way to foul territory in short right field as Seattle baserunner Jason Bay came all the way around from first base to put the Mariners within 3-1.
The Indians had another throwing error in the eighth inning, when third baseman Mark Reynolds threw wide of first base on a routine grounder for the Indians' fifth error in a two-game span.
The Mariners hadn't lost a game since July 11, and had scored at least two runs in 27 consecutive games dating back to June 19.
It was an emotional day for the Mariners, and not just because they saw their eight-game winning streak come to an end. After the game, the team announced that a series of tests revealed that manager Eric Wedge had suffered what a team press release called "a very mild stroke" before Monday's game. The 44-year-old Wedge was finally released from the hospital Wednesday, and is expected to be out until at least early August.
"He will be back sooner rather than later," said bench coach Robby Thompson, who is handling Wedge's managing duties in his absence.
News of the stroke shook the Mariners' clubhouse.
"It's tough, obviously, when your skipper goes down like that," Joe Saunders said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with him. Hopefully, he has a speedy recovery and is back with us soon."
NOTES: Each of Seattle's victories during the eight-game winning streak went to a starting pitcher, with Saunders breaking that string Wednesday. Saunders had been responsible for two of those wins. ... The Indians have an off day Thursday before beginning a three-game home series with the Texas Rangers on Friday.
