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Ramirez's successful return lifts Mariners over Orioles

Jul 17, 2007 - 5:36 AM SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Horacio Ramirez enjoyed a successful return from the disabled list.

Yuniesky Betancourt hit a tie-breaking two-run double in the sixth inning to help Ramirez earn his first victory in almost two months as the Seattle Mariners posted a 4-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday.

Ramirez (5-2), who had not recorded a victory since May 19, pitched seven strong innings, giving up just two runs and five hits with no walks and two strikeouts en route to picking up his third straight decision.

"He was fabulous," Mariners manager John McLaren said. "He kept his pitch count down. He was throwing strikes and changing speeds. That's the best I've seen him. He threw the ball great."

The 27-year-old lefthander, who went on the DL with a sore shoulder on May 25, is 5-0 at Safeco Field this season. But, it is a much different story on the road where Ramirez is 0-2 with a 13.21 ERA in four contests.

"It's just coincidence. I don't think about it," Ramirez said of his success at home this year. "Now I have to find a way to carry it out on the road."

The 27-year-old lefthander said it wasn't easy being on the sidelines and watching his team do so well.

"It was tough," Ramirez said. "It was very frustrating. Anytime you are on the DL and you see your team playing well, you just want to go out there and help."

Sean Green and George Sherrill combined to pitch a scoreless eighth inning before J.J. Putz entered in the ninth to record his 26th save in as many opportunities. Putz has now closed successfully in 28 straight chances.

Betancourt hit a 1-0 offering from Orioles starter Brian Burres (4-4) off the top of the left field wall, just out of the reach of a leaping Jay Payton, to plate Richie Sexson and Kenji Johijima and give the Mariners a 4-2 lead in the sixth inning.

Sexson started the rally by drawing a two-out walk and Johijima followed with a single to center, which set the stage for Betancourt's double.

"I felt strong the whole game," Burres said. "The only thing I'd really like to change was the walk to Sexson in the sixth. That's the only thing I was really upset about. Everything else I was pretty happy with."

Burres was tagged for nine hits and four runs over six innings for his second consecutive loss as the Orioles' three-game winning streak came to an end.

The Mariners jumped on top 1-0 when Ichiro Suzuki led off the first with a double, stole third and scored on Raul Ibanez ground out.

Baltimore answered in the second inning with Ramon Hernandez's fifth home run of the season and first since June 30.

Baltimore took a brief 2-1 lead in the fourth when Chris Gomez tripled to the right-field corner and scored on Nick Markakis' infield hit. Sexson singled home Jose Guillen, who had doubled, to tie the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the inning.

Suzuki, who left Sunday's game with the Detroit Tigers after being hit on the thigh by a Justin Verlander fastball, was in the lineup Monday as the designated hitter.