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Indians power past Mariners

May 17, 2012 - 3:39 AM Cleveland, OH (Sports Network) - Travis Hafner doubled, homered and knocked in three to help the Cleveland Indians to a 9-3 win over the Seattle Mariners in the first of a two game set at Progressive Field.

Jason Kipnis and Carlos Santana also added RBI doubles for the Indians, winners in three straight. Shin-Soo Choo had three hits and scored two runs.

Ubaldo Jimenez (4-3) earned the win after giving up three runs on five hits while striking out four over six frames.

Dustin Ackley went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and Michael Saunders had two hits for the Mariners, who have dropped five of six on their current 10-game road trip.

Felix Hernandez (3-3) took the loss after being tagged for eight runs -- six earned -- on 10 hits in just 3 2/3 innings.

"For the most part we laid off his off-speed stuff, which starts in the zone and breaks down," Hafner said of Hernandez. "We were able to get good pitches and put good swings on balls for base hits."

The Mariners jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first. Ackley singled to open the frame, then moved to third when Saunders followed with a base hit of his own. Ichiro Suzuki grounded out to short to score Ackley.

But the Indians answered back with four runs of their own in the home half.

With the bases loaded and no outs, Hernandez's cutter skipped past catcher Jesus Montero, allowing a run to score. Hafner then grounded out to second, knocking in Kipnis, who reached earlier on a single. Carlos Santana drew a walk to put runners on the corners before stealing second.

Montero faked a throw to second to get Santana before throwing to third attempting to catch Asbrudal Cabrera, who reached earlier after being hit by a pitch. The throw sailed into left field, where Chone Figgins fielded the ball and rifled it home. Montero was unable to block the short hop and the ball skipped to the backstop allowing Cabrera and Santana to score.

Seattle made it a 4-3 game in the third when Ackley launched a Jimenez changeup into the right field bleachers. Brendan Ryan drew a leadoff walk before Ackley smacked his third homer of the season.

"He threw me a splitter that just kind of hung up and stayed in a little bit and I was able to get the barrel to it," said Ackley. "Fortunately right field isn't too far, so I was able to sneak it out over there."

Cleveland put together another big inning in the fourth, plating four to take an 8-3 lead. Choo singled then scored when Kipnis laced a Hernandez offering off the wall in left-center for a double. Hafner then doubled two hitters later to plate Kipnis before scoring when Santana also roped a double into the left-center gap. Michael Brantley knocked in Santana with a single.

Hafner's solo homer in the sixth gave the Tribe a commanding 9-3 advantage.

Game Notes

Cleveland improved to 9-4 against the American League West in 2012...Cabrera recorded his team-leading 12th multi-hit game...Ackley extended his hitting streak to 12 games...Kyle Seager has recorded a hit in all eight games he's played in his career against Cleveland.