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Colon strong again as Red Sox down Mariners

May 27, 2008 - 6:19 AM SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Bartolo Colon tossed seven strong innings as the Boston Red Sox used a four-run eighth to post a 5-3 win over the Seattle Mariners on Monday.

Colon (2-0) yielded a run and five hits in his second start for the Red Sox since being recalled from the minors on Wednesday.

He walked one and struck out four to help Boston snap a seven-game road losing streak.

"It was nice to finally shake hands again," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "We've had our share of disappointing losses."

Colon, who has a seven-game winning streak at Safeco Field and is 9-1 lifetime there, improved over his first start against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.

"As far as sharpness, by far," Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek said when asked if this was a better outing for Colon. "He had better command. We were able to mix in a slider and he didn't really throw a changeup. We were able to throw his slider on both sides of the plate. He was much sharper."

Colon agreed with Varitek.

"I felt good," Colon said through an interpreter. "I threw more strikes early and got ahead of the hitters."

The Red Sox took the lead for good in the eighth, finally managing to mount some offense against Mariners ace Felix Hernandez (2-5).

Sean Casey opened the frame with a single to right, only to be forced out at second on Julio Lugo's fielder's choice.

Lugo advanced to second on a ground ball by Jacoby Ellsbury, scoring one batter later as Dustin Pedroia's line drive to left field bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double, giving the Red Sox a 2-1 lead.

"Everything was good today - everything," Hernandez said. "I threw the two-seam (fastball) to Pedroia and that two-seamer came back too much, right in the middle of the plate.

"He hit it pretty good. You can't make a mistake with those guys. Those guys can hit."

David Ortiz, who opened the scoring with a solo home run in the fourth inning, was intentionally walked after Pedroia's double.

The strategy didn't pay off as Manny Ramirez followed with an RBI single to right field before Mike Lowell plated Ortiz with a base hit of his own.

After J.D. Drew singled to load the bases, Jason Varitek walked, scoring Ramirez from third and bouncing Hernandez from the game as Boston's advantage bulged to 5-1.

"The ball Ramirez hit looked like (right fielder Jeremy) Reed had it and the ball just carried so strong," Mariners manager John McLaren said. "And there were two seeing-eye ground balls and Varitek really made him (Hernandez) work and he ended up walking."

Hernandez allowed five runs and seven hits in 7 2/3 innings, walking one while striking out four. The 22-year-old righthander retired the first 11 batters he faced but faltered in the late innings, suffering his fifth loss in as many decisions.

"I thought Felix really threw the ball extremely well," McLaren said. "I thought he pitched a heck of a game. He had some bad luck there in the eighth inning. He deserved better than that. That's probably the best stuff he's had all year."

Seattle managed to score a pair of runs off Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon in the ninth, narrowing the Red Sox lead to 5-3 before Jose Lopez grounded out to second for the final out.