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Mariners snap Yankees' 7-game winning streak, 8-4

Jul 3, 2009 - 7:57 AM By MIKE FITZPATRICK AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK(AP) -- Russell Branyan's colossal homer brought one word to mind for Don Wakamatsu.

"Majestic," the Seattle Mariners' manager said. "I think it's going to be hard to top that one in this ballpark."

Branyan rebounded from a frustrating string of strikeouts with a mammoth drive, and Seattle beat CC Sabathia 8-4 on Thursday night to snap the New York Yankees' seven-game winning streak.

Franklin Gutierrez homered for the Mariners and Ichiro Suzuki hit a two-run double that was misplayed by center fielder Melky Cabrera.

Chris Woodward added two RBIs as Seattle won in the Bronx for the first time since Sept. 3, 2007, ending a 10-game road losing streak against the Yankees.

"A lot of unsung heroes today," Wakamatsu said.

Branyan launched his 20th homer in the ninth inning, a two-run shot off right-hander Alfredo Aceves that made it 8-4. It was the first drive at the new Yankee Stadium to carom off the tinted-glass windows of the big sports bar in straightaway center, above Monument Park.

It also ended a rough stretch for Branyan, who struck out seven straight times in two nights - all against lefties - before drawing a walk from Sabathia in the sixth.

"I know it's just a matter of time before I come out of something like that," Branyan said. "In the grand scheme of things, it's just two days. If I can limit my bad at-bats to two days, I'll take it."

Seattle avoided a three-game sweep and handed Sabathia (7-5) his second loss in 11 starts.

"It was frustrating just because we were playing so well," Sabathia said. "It was just one of those days when I left some pitches up."

Gutierrez had three hits for the third time in five games. Five of his eight homers have come in the past 15 games.

Miguel Batista (5-2) pitched two hitless innings to win in relief of ill starter Jason Vargas, who lasted four innings with flu symptoms. His teammates appreciated the effort. Wakamatsu said Vargas was vomiting until about 3 a.m. Thursday.

Mark Lowe worked two scoreless innings before David Aardsma finished. Seattle's bullpen yielded three hits in five shutout innings.

"Our guys are learning how to win," Batista said.

Hideki Matsui homered and drove in three runs for New York, while Robinson Cano had three hits.

The start was delayed 36 minutes due to threatening storms, though they never brought rain. Suzuki doubled and scored in the first inning, marking the first time the Yankees trailed since the top of the sixth on June 24 in Atlanta.

"When you're playing so well, you're surprised when you're not so crisp," New York manager Joe Girardi said.

White Sox 4, Royals 1=

At Kansas City, Mo., Mark Buehrle allowed six hits in 8 1-3 innings to improve to 20-8 lifetime against the Royals.

Bobby Jenks got the last two outs for his 19th save in 21 chances.

Jayson Nix hit a solo homer off Bruce Chen (0-2) as the Royals lost for the sixth time in eight games. They have scored only three runs in their past three games, all losses. Chen went six-plus innings and gave up two runs and five hits in his second major league start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in late 2007.

Angels 5, Orioles 2=

At Anaheim, Calif., Bobby Abreu hit two home runs and John Lackey pitched eight solid innings for Los Angeles.

The multihomer game was the 14th of Abreu's career, his first as an Angel. Both homers were off starter Jeremy Guthrie, who gave up nine hits in seven innings.

Lackey struck out seven and gave up two hits and a walk.

Luke Scott homered in the seventh for the Orioles, who are 11-24 on the road.