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Beltre's blast helps Mariners rally past Padres

May 18, 2008 - 6:10 AM SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Little has gone right for the Seattle Mariners this month. At least, they can still count on Erik Bedard's success against the National League.

Bedard struck out a season-high 10 and Adrian Beltre belted a tie-breaking, two-run home run, powering the Seattle Mariners to a 4-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Saturday.

Bedard (3-2), who improved to 6-1 with a 1.96 ERA in 12 career interleague starts, yielded two runs and five hits with a walk over eight frames to break a three-game winless drought. The lefthander's streak coincided with the team's lack of success, as the team won for just the fourth time in 16 games in May.

"It was just what the doctor ordered," Mariners manager John McLaren said. "It was a (well-) pitched game. Eric was outstanding. He had all his pitches working. He was on the top of his game."

Trailing, 2-1, in the seventh, the Mariners used a three-run eighth to support their ace. Jamie Burke led off the frame with a single off Padres starter Randy Wolf (2-4) before Ichiro Suzuki drove a deep liner off the center-field wall, giving Burke enough time to lumber around the bases and just beat the throw home.

"I thought his (Wolf's) game came down to a shot back up the middle in the seventh by arguably one of the best hitters in the game (Ichiro)," Padres manager Bud Black said. "He pitched a great game tonight. Definitely well enough to get a win."

"I am always surprised to see myself go around third and score," said Burke, the Mariners reserve catcher making one of his infrequent starts behind the plate. "I thought the ball was in the gap and I was just trying to run as hard as I could."

Wolf gave way to reliever Cla Meredith, who surrendered a two-run blast to Beltre - his eighth home run of the season.

Beltre was batting second in the lineup for the first time this year.

"It doesn't matter where I hit, I am going to have the same approach," said Beltre, who has driven in only 18 runs this year.

"I want him (Beltre) to relax and get good pitches to hit," McLaren said. "We know he is a wonderful player. He's one of my favorites of all time."

Closer J.J. Putz relieved Bedard in the ninth but continued his season-long struggles - allowing a hit and a walk - before getting Kevin Kouzmanoff to pop out harmlessly, notching his fourth save in six chances. His current 4.09 ERA is nearly triple his 1.38 ERA in 2007.

Raul Ibanez provided the Mariners' only early run when his double plated Ichiro in the bottom of the first.

San Diego took the lead in the fourth as Adrian Gonzalez took advantage of one of Bedard's few mistakes, connecting on a fastball that sailed over the fence in left for his 10th home run of the season.

That offense appeared to be enough for Wolf, who permitted three runs and seven hits with a walk and five strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings, until Seattle got the lift they needed in the seventh.

"It really doesn't matter unless you win," Wolf said. "I could pitch better, but better doesn't mean anything if, at the end of the game, the other team has more runs than you do."