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Betancourt's three RBI help Mariners sweep Athletics

Sep 20, 2007 - 12:42 AM By Tom Kent PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Seattle Mariners made the Oakland Athletics pay for last season.

Yuniesky Betancourt drove in three runs and Ichiro Suzuki and Jamie Burke had two RBI apiece as the Mariners posted a 9-5 victory over the Athletics in the season finale between the teams Wednesday.

Felix Hernandez battled through five innings for Seattle, which completed a three-game sweep of Oakland. The Mariners also got retribution for what the Athletics did to them in 2006.

Last season, Oakland posted a 17-2 record against Seattle, setting a club record for the most victories against any opponent in a single season.

"We knew that coming into this season, we were going to have to do better against Oakland," Mariners manager John McLaren said. "We've had a good year against them. It's always important to play well in your division."

The Mariners were able to return the favor in 2007, finishing their season series against the defending American League West Division Champions with a 14-5 mark. The 14 victories are their most against the A's in one campaign.

"It's good to be able to beat Oakland," Burke said. "They've hurt us in the past, and obviously, our goal is to win more games against them than last year. This year, it has switched up on us, though. It's Anaheim that has given us the trouble this year."

Seattle also has taken eight games at McAfee Coliseum this year, a club record. The three-game sweep marked the Mariners' first in Oakland since April 10-12, 2001.

"We pieced it together and got the win," McLaren said. "Anytime you get a sweep here, you've done a real good job."

For the Athletics, the 14 defeats at the hands of their division foes is their highest total against any club since they also dropped 14 to the Minnesota Twins in the 1973.

Seattle took a quick 2-0 lead in the first on an RBI triple by Raul Ibanez and a run-scoring single by Jose Guillen. The Mariners increased their lead in the second on a RBI base hit by Burke, followed by a run-scoring double by Betancourt.

Suzuki added a sacrifice fly in the frame for a 5-0 advantage.

Trailing, 5-3, in the fifth, Oakland got within one when Jack Cust deposited a 2-2 offering from Hernandez over the right-center field wall. It was Cust's team-leading 24th home run of the season.

Hernandez (13-7) yielded four runs - three earned - and seven hits while matching his season high of four walks.

"My breaking ball was flat," Hernandez said. "I tried to throw my breaking ball and the wind would just take it away. My change, too, it was tough. They gave me a five-run lead and I just tried to hang in there. My bullpen did a great job, too."

The 21-year-old righthander entered with a 4-2 record and 1.96 ERA - his lowest against any team - in seven career starts against Oakland.

"Today, his pitches were just staying flat," Burke said. "I think the wind was just pushing his pitches. (Felix) figured it out and took a little bit off and was able to get through it."

Ryan Rowland-Smith came on in the sixth, working two scoreless innings before Jon Huber and Jerry Blevins loaded the bases and allowed a run in the eighth as the Athletics crawled within 7-5. However, George Sherrill - the third Seattle pitcher in the frame - avoided further damage, getting the last two outs of the inning.

The Mariners added two runs in the ninth on RBI singles by Betancourt and Suzuki before closer J.J. Putz worked a 1-2-3 ninth to seal the win.

Dan Meyer (0-2), who was making just his third start since being recalled from Class AAA Sacramento on September 3, gave up five runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings while walking two and striking out two.

"For me, I strive to keep us in the game and give us a chance to win," Meyer said. "We came out of the second inning down 5-0. All I could do from there was try and shut them down."

Mark Ellis, Jack Hannahan and Shannon Stewart each drove in a run for the Athletics, who fell to 74-80 and are in jeopardy of posting their first losing season since 1998.