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Peguero homers twice as Mariners down Rays

Jun 3, 2011 - 6:58 AM Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Carlos Peguero homered twice and drove in four runs as Seattle downed Tampa Bay, 8-2, in the opener of a four-game series from Safeco Field.

Jack Cust and Justin Smoak also went deep for the Mariners, who won for the sixth time in eight outings.

Felix Hernandez (6-4) turned in another solid start, going seven innings for the win and allowing one run on five hits while fanning 11.

Matt Joyce hit a solo home run for the Rays, who have lost three of four.

James Shields (5-4) was rocked for seven hits -- including a season-high four homers -- and seven earned runs over a season-low four innings.

Seattle effectively wrapped up the game with a five-run second inning.

Cust put the Mariners on the board with a leadoff homer, then an error and single put two on. Two batters later, Chone Figgins singled in a run and Peguero capped the burst by clearing the wall in right center for a 5-0 game.

"We've had tight games all year long. You still have a lot of work to do when you do jump out (to a big lead) like that, but it was good to be able to separate a little bit early on," said Mariners manager Eric Wedge.

The lead only grew, as Cust worked a one-out walk in the third inning and scored on Adam Kennedy's double for a six-run margin.

Peguero started the home fourth with his second homer of the game, then Smoak posted a two-out solo shot and the Mariners led 8-0.

"It's always fun when you can add on like that," said Cust. "Hopefully it's a sign of good things to come."

Rays manager Joe Maddon was surprised to see Seattle hit so well against Shields.

"He's been so money. The Mariners are a nice ballclub, but they're not known for that kind of outburst," he said. "That kind of surprised me."

Felipe Lopez singled home a run in the sixth to get Tampa on the board. Hernandez fanned Kelly Shoppach with one out in the seventh, but he was able to reach first on a wild pitch third strike. However, the right-hander ended his outing by inducing a double-play grounder from Ben Zobrist.

In the eighth, Joyce greeted Aaron Laffey with his 10th homer of the season, but Laffey turned in a scoreless rest of the frame. Chris Ray followed suit in the ninth.

Game Notes

Peguero notched his first career multi-homer game...Figgins snapped an 0- for-22 streak with the RBI hit...Rays designated hitter Johnny Damon singled, and extended his on-base streak to 28 straight games, the longest in the American League...Hernandez fanned at least 10 batters for the second time in three starts and for the third time this season...Shields had lasted at least six innings in each of his 11 previous starts.