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Lopez's double sends Mariners to sweep of Red Sox

Jun 28, 2007 - 2:35 AM SEATTLE (Ticker) -- When the game is on the line, friendship goes out the window. Just ask Jose Lopez and Seattle Mariners.

Lopez ripped a walk-off double in the 11th inning as the Mariners completed a sweep of the Boston Red Sox with an exciting 2-1 victory at Safeco Field on Wednesday afternoon.

With the game tied, 1-1, in the 11th inning, Ichiro Suzuki was issued a one-out walk by Joel Pineiro (1-1) and Lopez then drilled a towering shot over left fielder Manny Ramirez's outstretched glove and off the top of the wall, scoring Ichiro from first to secure the victory.

"It was my teammate from last year out there on the mound," Lopez said. "But I did not look at him as my friend, especially with the game tied, 1-1. I didn't think it would be caught because Manny Ramirez was playing on the left field line and there was a big hole there."

Pineiro said that returning to his former home at Safeco Field did not affect his performance.

"The only thing going through my mind was to make good pitches and hopefully come back and win this ballgame," Pineiro said. "It's frustrating. You go out there and think you have good stuff and you make a mistake."

Mariners manager Mike Hargrove called the team's fifth straight victory and seventh in their last eight games - a total team effort.

"Everybody that we asked to do anything today contributed to this," Hargrove said.

Mariners starter Ryan Feierabend, who gave up nine runs and five walks in 2 2/3 innings in a 16-1 loss to Cincinnati in his last outing, held the Red Sox scoreless for five innings, giving up five hits, walking two and striking out three.

The 21-year-old lefthander had to work his way out of a jam in the fifth when the Red Sox loaded the bases on a two-out walk to Julio Lugo, hitting .191, Crisp's double and a walk to rookie Dustin Pedroia. But David Ortiz grounded to second to end the inning.

Four relievers then combined to toss four innings, bridging the gap to Jason Davis (2-0), who hurled the final two frames for the win.

Boston starter Daisuke Matsuzaka retired the first eight batters he faced before reserve catcher Jamie Burke lined a double to center just out of reach of a diving Coco Crisp.

Ichiro then singled to score Burke and make it 1-0.

Matsuzaka pitched brilliantly, going eight innings and facing just four batters over the minimum. He allowed just three hits, walked one and struck out eight.

"Overall, I felt I had good velocity on the ball and my control was good," said Matsuzaka, who had allowed only 15 hits in his last four starts while striking out 34 in 27 innings. "I felt I put together a good game. And, in terms of run support, I feel like I pitch better when it's a tighter game, so I can't complain about that."

The lead held up until the seventh when pinch hitter J.D. Drew led off with a single against reliever Sean Green, and the righthander's throwing error to first on Lugo's sacrifice bunt put runners at first and third.

Crisp hit a fly ball to center that Ichiro ran down and made a basket catch at the wall for a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 1-1.

But Seattle had a golden opportunity to secure the victory in the ninth.

Ichiro led off the inning with an infield single off lefthander Hideki Okajima and was bunted to second by Lopez, setting up Jose Vidro's single to right field. But Ichiro was held at third as Red Sox right fielder Drew's throw came in to the plate.

Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon relieved Okajima to face Mariners slugger Richie Sexson, who swung at the first pitch and popped out to second baseman Pedroia - unable to deliver the winning run from third with less than two outs. The star closer then retired Ben Broussard on a ground ball to second to end the threat.

However, after a scoreless 10th, Papelbon had to give way to Pineiro in the 11th.

Crisp had two hits for the Red Sox, who got swept after winning four of their previous five.