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Silva, Sexson lead Mariners over Angels

Apr 13, 2008 - 5:10 AM SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Two games down, 17 to go, and the Seattle Mariners have the early upper hand.

Carlos Silva pitched eight strong innings and Richie Sexson homered to lead the Mariners to an 8-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Saturday.

Raul Ibanez homered and drove in three runs for Seattle, which has taken the first two games against the Angels this season after winning just six of 19 matchups in 2008.

The Mariners made a few key changes to their pitching staff in the offseason in hopes that an improved rotation would help them vault over the Angels in the American League West.

Silva (2-0), who signed a four-year, $48 million contract in the offseason, was one of those key changes, and he made a good first impression on the rivalry.

"Silva was huge," Mariners manager John McLaren said. "That's Silva. He gives up some hits, but he makes the pitches when he has to. He's such a pro."

Silva needed only 98 pitches to make it through the eighth inning despite allowing the 11 hits, inducing 13 groundouts and walking just one.

"(The defense) was the key to the game today," Silva said. "All I had to worry about was making quality pitches."

"Raul is pretty much locked in and we're starting to come around with the bats," McLaren added. "It was nice to see Richie hit the ball out of the ballpark."

Ibanez has an 11-game hitting streak against the Angels, going 18-for-43 (.419) with four homers, three doubles, a triple and nine RBI during that stretch.

"The significance is that we won the series and that should be your goal every time," Ibanez said. "Again, it's two good games that we've played and the pieces are falling into place."

Jon Garland (1-2), who also was added to the rivalry in the offseason, was pounded for six runs - three earned - and 12 hits in five innings for Anaheim.

"I think he got too fine and had to come back into the zone in some counts and some guys didn't miss pitches," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I don't think he pitched as poorly as his linescore shows."

Seattle got on the board in the first when Ibanez, who homered twice in Friday's series opener, tripled to score Jose Lopez. Jose Vidro chased home Ibanez with a single to right to make it 2-0.

The Angels tied it at 2-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth, but the Mariners grabbed the lead for good with a three-run fifth, capped by Sexson's two-run blast.

"Sometimes that's the way it goes," Angels outfielder Torii Hunter said. "It's only been two games and we have a lot of games left. It's going to happen. When all cylinders click, it's going to be nice."

Seattle finished the contest with 15 hits.