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Ramirez, bullpen lead Mariners over Yankees

May 14, 2007 - 12:23 AM SEATTLE (Ticker) -- A return back to his new home ballpark was exactly what Horacio Ramirez needed.

Ramirez pitched into the seventh inning to win his third start at Safeco Park this season and got some excellent relief help as the Seattle Mariners posted a 2-1 victory Sunday over the New York Yankees in the rubber game of a three-game series.

The 27-year-old Ramirez has had trouble adjusting to American League lineups away from home since coming over from the Atlanta Braves in the offseason in exchange for reliever Rafael Soriano, but he apparently feels comfortable in his home park.

With the victory, the lefthander improved to 3-0 and has allowed just three earned runs in 18 2/3 innings. On the road, Ramirez is 0-2 with a 13.17 ERA.

"I like the dimensions. I like that the ball doesn't carry very well," a smiling Ramirez said about his success so far at Safeco Field. "I like that (Alex Rodriguez) hit the ball pretty good to right-center and Ichiro caught it at the warning track. But I would probably say it's coincidence that I am not pitching well on the road and I'm pitching well here."

The Mariners allowed the Yankees just eight runs in three games, seven of them over two innings Saturday night.

"In these three games we pitched awfully well, everybody," Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said. "The second inning yesterday and the start of the third was the only blemish, but Ramirez came back today and was absolutely outstanding."

Ramirez carried a shutout into the sixth inning against the league's top-scoring offense before the Yankees broke through.

Johnny Damon singled, stole second and scored on a two-out single by Derek Jeter to cut their deficit to 2-1.

New York put together a rally in the seventh, but Chris Reitsma replaced Ramirez and induced an inning-ending double play by Doug Mientkiewicz. Jason Giambi and Hideki Matsui delivered one-out singles to end the afternoon for Ramirez, who was charged with a run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out one.

New York again challenged in the eighth, but rookie Brandon Morrow blew a 3-2 fastball past Alex Rodriguez with runners on first and second and two outs. Closer J.J. Putz worked around a one-out double by Matsui in the ninth by striking out Jorge Posada, who had homered twice off him in four career at bats, and Mientkiewicz to notch his ninth save in as many chances.

"J.J. scared us all to death, then did his job," Hargrove said.

Yankees manager Joe Torre said that much of the credit for the win should go to the Seattle bullpen.

"They had some thunder out there the last two innings," Torre said. "They threw the ball hard, especially in the eighth inning. It was the middle of our batting order with men on base, and that's where you feel you have your best shot. You have to give Morrow credit, he struck out Alex on what looked like a really good pitch."

New York starter Andy Pettitte (2-2) entered having allowed just six runs in 26 1/3 innings over five appearances - including four starts - on the road and pitched well against Seattle, yielding two runs and nine hits in 7 1/3 innings.

Seattle got single runs in the third and fourth innings but could have gotten a lot more.

Ichiro Suzuki started the third-inning rally with a a one-out single to center and advanced all the way to third on an infield single by Jose Vidro combined with a throwing error by third baseman Rodriguez. Raul Ibanez then plated Ichiro with a base hit up the middle. But Pettitte escaped by inducing a double-play grounder by Richie Sexson.

Jose Guillen led off the fourth with a double and the Mariners loaded the bases on a walk to Adrian Beltre and a bunt single by Yuniesky Betancourt. Jose Lopez followed with a sacrifice fly to left field to provide a 2-0 edge. But Pettitte escaped again by retiring Jamie Burke and Ichiro on ground balls.

"That was a frustrating game because I was in a lot of trouble," Pettitte said. "When you don't win series it's frustrating and we feel like this is a game we could have won. We feel like we've got a great team and to not be winning is extremely frustrating."