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Batista, Betancourt help Mariners edge White Sox

May 3, 2007 - 12:10 AM SEATTLE (Ticker) -- Miguel Batista and the Seattle Mariners are beginning to hit their stride.

Batista pitched 7 1/3 solid innings and Yuniesky Betancourt belted a key homer as the Mariners defeated the slumping Chicago White Sox, 3-2, for their third straight win.

Jose Guillen hit a solo homer and Raul Ibanez added an RBI double for Seattle (12-10), which has also won seven of its last eight games.

"We're having a good time right now and playing good baseball and we want to continue that," Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said.

Batista (3-2) allowed two runs and five hits while striking out one, earning his second straight victory and lowering his ERA to 6.30. After surrendering 17 earned runs in his first three starts, Batista has yielded just four in his last two.

"I've been healthy and have been more aggressive while consistently throwing harder," Batista said of his reversal of fortune over his last two starts.

The 36-year-old righthander from the Dominican Republic finally got his first career win in eight attempts vs. Chicago.

George Sherrill relieved Batista with one out in the eighth and allowed a hit before getting out of the inning. J.J. Putz allowed a baserunner in the ninth before inducing Rob Mackowiak to hit into a game-ending double play for his fifth save in five opportunities.

Betancourt broke a 2-2 tie with two out in the seventh when he hit a 1-0 pitch off tough-luck rookie John Danks over the left field wall to put Seattle in front. It was the third home run this season for the shortstop and just the 12th in his three-year career.

"It was a good feeling, since it put the team up, and good personally, especially since I hadn't had one in quite a while," Betancourt said through an interpreter. "I still say I am not a power hitter, but if I make good contact the ball is going to fly."

Danks (0-4) allowed three runs, six hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings, striking out four. The 22-year-old lefthander has only received four runs of support in his first five starts.

"It's a shame when the kid goes out and pitches the way he pitches and we don't help him," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "I think this kid continues to throw the ball real good and he's not afraid to pitch to anybody. Every game he gets better and better."

Danks said that despite the loss, he was not disappointed with his outing.

"I felt like I threw two bad pitches and they really hurt me, but other than that I threw the ball well," Danks said. "The only run that really bothers me is the middle run."

The White Sox got on the board first in the top of the second when Jermaine Dye led off with his sixth homer over the center field wall.

The Mariners tied it a half-inning later when, with one out, Jose Guillen hit the first pitch from Danks deep into the seats in center field for his third home run of the season.

After Chicago took a 2-1 lead on a homer by Paul Konerko to lead off the fourth, Seattle rallied again in the sixth.

With two outs, Jose Vidro singled and scored when Ibanez followed with a double down the left field line.

Konerko had two hits, including his fourth homer, for Chicago (12-13), which has lost four straight to fall one game under .500.

"We're doing our best," Konerko said. "I guarantee you everybody is playing as hard now as when things are going well. I don't think we are down to where we think we're a bad team, but it's frustrating getting good pitching and not scoring any runs."