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Vidro's two-run single lifts Mariners past Orioles

Apr 23, 2008 - 6:13 AM SEATTLE (Ticker) -- The Seattle Mariners are happy to have closer J.J. Putz back in the bullpen.

Jose Vidro's two-run single in the eighth inning put the Mariners on top before Putz sealed the victory in the ninth as Seattle escaped with a 4-2 triumph over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night.

Putz, who was activated from the disabled list earlier in the day after being sidelined since April 2 with rib inflammation on his right side, surrendered a leadoff double to Aubrey Huff in the ninth before striking out two and inducing a groundout by Jay Payton to seal the win and notch his second save of the season.

"What can I say? It's really nice to have the big boy (Putz) back," Mariners manager John McLaren said. "It makes a big difference."

"I felt great," Putz said. "I was nervous. I had butterflies the whole time I was warming up. Coming out of the gate was great. It kind of got my blood going. ... I wasn't even thinking about the rib or anything like that."

Vidro gave the Mariners the lead by capitalizing on a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the eighth.

"(Vidro) rose to the occasion, that's for sure," McLaren said.

Yuniesky Betancourt led off the inning with a double but failed to advance as Ichiro Suzuki and Jose Lopez followed with a foulout and flyout, respectively.

After Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie (0-2) issued a pair of walks to Raul Ibanez and Adrian Beltre, Vidro grounded a single through the right side of the infield, plating Betancourt and Ibanez to give the Mariners a 4-2 lead.

"Once I walked Adrian, I hoped (manager Dave Trembley) would give me a chance to put us in a position to win," Guthrie said. "I had created the mess myself and it just didn't work out."

The hit made a winner of former Oriole Arthur Rhodes (1-0), who worked a scoreless top of the eighth.

Guthrie allowed four runs - three earned - and five hits with four walks and five strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings, managing to keep pace with Seattle's Felix Hernandez.

"Guthrie pitched well tonight and when he got in trouble toward the end I didn't want to bring in someone else who might give up his runs," Trembley said. "I thought it was his game to win or lose.

"Hernandez didn't have his best game. But, he made some pitches and got out of his jams."

Despite not factoring in the decision, Hernandez gave up just two runs and six hits in seven frames. The 22-year-old righthander walked three and struck out seven but struggled early.

"I was dizzy all night," Hernandez said. "I had a headache. I was just trying to keep the team in the game. ... Pitch by pitch I was trying to relax because when I went fast, I was tired."

The Orioles wasted no time taking the lead as Brian Roberts led off the game with a single and scored three batters later on Kevin Millar's base hit for a 1-0 edge.

"Felix was having a tough time early," McLaren said. "In his defense, he had a little bit of a cold. He settled in. He threw quite a few pitches the first two innings then he got it together and he really did a great job for us."

The Mariners quickly responded as Ichiro led off the bottom of the frame with a triple and scored two batters later on a groundout by Ibanez.

Seattle claimed a 2-1 advantage in the fifth, when Betancourt scored on a throwing error by catcher Ramon Hernandez. But the lead did not last long as Huff tied the contest with a solo home run in the sixth inning.