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Fister helps Mariners down Orioles

May 31, 2011 - 12:03 AM Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Doug Fister threw 7 1/3 strong innings, which included a career-high nine strikeouts, to lead Seattle to a 4-3 victory over Baltimore in the opener of a three-game series.

Fister (3-5) allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk in the Mariners' 11th win in their last 14 games.

Jake Arrieta (6-3) had the shortest outing of his career when he allowed four runs on four hits and four walks in just 2 1/3 innings as Baltimore lost its fourth straight game.

"I'm pretty upset about this one. I just couldn't give the team what I needed to give them," said Arrieta. "It's just real frustrating to go out there, especially after a sweep, I knew what I wanted to do today and to only get seven outs is pretty frustrating."

Ichiro Suzuki led off the home first with a single, stole second and advanced to third on Matt Wieters' throwing error before scoring on a Brendan Ryan groundout. Justin Smoak then worked a walk and came around to score on a triple by Jack Cust to give Seattle an early two-run advantage.

The Orioles got a run back in the third on a solo home run by Mark Reynolds.

But the Mariners added to their lead in the bottom half of the inning after loading the bases with no outs. Suzuki and Ryan hit back-to-back singles and Smoak walked to fill up the bags. After a Cust fly out, Adam Kennedy walked to bring in Suzuki and Miguel Olivo followed with a walk of his own to score Ryan, which knocked Arrieta out of the game.

Alfredo Simon then took the mound and struck out Carlos Peguero and Chone Figgins to end the inning and keep the score 4-1.

Robert Andino and Felix Pie started the eighth inning with consecutive singles to put runners on the corners with no outs for Baltimore. After a J.J. Hardy strikeout, Nick Markakis singled past a diving Kennedy to plate Andino and Fister was taken out of the game.

"He was really good. He really gets into it when it gets a little bit thick out there. He was really efficient early on, really efficient throughout. He had some difficulty late, but didn't give into it," Mariners manager Eric Wedge said about Fister.

Jamey Wright entered next and Vladimir Guerrero greeted him with a grounder to third that was misplayed by Figgins. Pie took home on the error and made it a 4-3 game. Groundouts by Wieters and Luke Scott ended the inning and kept it a one-run game.

Brandon League worked around a lead-off single by Nolan Reimold to earn his 14th save of the year.

Game Notes

Baltimore recalled pitcher Chris Jakubauskas from Norfolk and also optioned pitcher Chris Tillman to Norfolk on Monday...Ryan extended his hit streak to a career-high 10 games...Baltimore hit 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base.