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Hafner, Indians dominate Seattle

Apr 9, 2011 - 6:58 AM Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Travis Hafner belted a three-run homer to cap a 10-run fourth inning, as the Cleveland Indians spoiled the Seattle Mariners' home opener with a crushing 12-3 blowout.

Hafner ended with four RBI, Asdrubal Cabrera hit a solo homer and Orlando Cabrera went 3-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and one driven in for the Indians, who have won five straight to improve to 5-2 on the young season.

Carlos Carrasco (1-0) was charged with one run on four hits and three walks while striking out six in picking up the victory.

Jason Vargas (0-1) was battered for seven runs on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings in the loss, Seattle's fifth straight after winning its first two games.

Cabrera staked a 1-0 lead with his first-inning homer, and the Indians took control when they sent 14 to the plate in the fourth.

Vargas, who lasted into the seventh in his first start of the season, was pulled after giving up six hits to the first seven batters in the pivotal frame.

"They just started hitting the ball," Vargas said. "(I was) making some pitches and (they) started dumping it in, started smelling it and (I) couldn't shut it down."

Hafner and Orlando Cabrera each singled in a run, Kearns doubled down the left-field line for a 4-0 game, and Matt LaPorta added a sacrifice fly.

Tom Wilhelmsen relieved Vargas following Jack Hannahan's run-scoring single and promptly loaded the bases. Carlos Santana chased two more across with a single to right, and Hafner annihilated a Wilhelmsen offering off the facing of the second deck in right to punctuate the outburst.

"It was a good inning, we were able to score a lot of runs," Hafner said. "Up and down the lineup it's been pretty good (this season)."

Miguel Olivo's error allowed LaPorta to score in the fifth, and Seattle finally got on the board on Ichiro Suzuki's RBI single in the bottom half.

The Mariners got two more in the ninth, as Adam Kennedy scored on a ball hit by Suzuki and Brendan Ryan came in on Milton Bradley's groundout.

Game Notes

Prior to the game the Mariners honored Hall of Fame broadcaster Dave Niehaus, who died of a heart attack Nov. 10 at the age of 75. Niehaus served as the team's play-by-play announcer from its inaugural campaign in 1977 until his death after last season...This was the opener of a three-game series...Suzuki had two hits and Ryan Langerhans walked four times for Seattle...Cleveland has scored double-digit runs twice this year after doing so six times all last season.