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Betancourt helps Mariners sweep Orioles

Aug 10, 2007 - 4:47 AM BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- Yuniesky Betancourt helped keep the Seattle Mariners' offense rolling.

Betancourt had three hits and three RBI and seven other Mariners drove in runs en route to their third straight win, an 13-8 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday in the finale of a three-game series.

Ichiro Suzuki also had three RBI and Raul Ibanez and Adrian Beltre each drove in two runs for Seattle, which compiled 31 runs in its first sweep since June 29-July 1 against the Toronto Blue Jays.

"More than the results, what makes me most happiest is getting away from the heat," Suzuki said through an interpreter.

"Not taking batting practice really paid off for us," Mariner manager John McLaren said. "We saved our strength a little bit. We've got some guys that are coming alive. We knew they would."

Betancourt's RBI single in the fourth inning tied the game at 5-5. The Cuban native then gave the Mariners the lead during a five-run rally in the sixth.

"I made good contact all night," Betancourt said. "Very happy to win."

The 25-year-old Betancourt sent a 2-0 offering from Daniel Cabrera (8-12) into right field, plating Adam Jones for a 6-5 advantage and chasing the Orioles' starter.

Suzuki followed with an RBI base hit and Jose Vidro doubled to deep right to score Betancourt, opening an 8-5 lead.

After Jose Guillen was walked intentionally, Ibanez delivered an RBI single. Beltre plated Vidro with a sacrifice fly to create a 10-5 cushion and cap the rally.

Betancourt extended the Mariners' advantage to 11-7 in the seventh inning with a run-scoring double to left field. He is 13-for-30 (.433) with two home runs and 10 RBI in seven games this month.

"Things are starting to click for us," McLaren said. "We are starting to get all cylinders going. We've seen signs of guys getting out of slumps, and we're starting to hit collectively."

Guillen's 16th homer of the season in the third inning gave Seattle a 4-0 lead.

Miguel Tejada belted a grand slam to cap a five-run third inning as the Orioles took a 5-4 edge before a 24-minute rain delay. It was Tejada's 250th career homer and 11th this season.

"It was a fastball," Tejada said. "It wasn't enough, it's never enough. They just kept coming back."

Mariners starter Horacio Ramirez (7-3) pitched five-plus innings, surrendering seven runs, five hits and five walks with four strikeouts. Two relievers bridged the gap to George Sherrill, who worked 1 2/3 scoreless frames to notch his first save.

"Except for the five-run inning, I thought he threw pretty good tonight," Mariners catcher Jamie Burke said.

Suzuki gave Seattle some insurance in the ninth inning with a two-run single to left-center field, extending its lead to 13-8.

Cabrera surrendered seven runs and eight hits with four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.

"We played well, they just kept hitting," Cabrera said. "A couple of weak pitches and that's it. A couple of ground balls in the hole, that's it."