Jason Vargas hadn't planned on pitching Saturday night but with Erik Bedard being placed on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder discomfort, retroactive to June 8, Vargas got the call and he delivered in the M's 7-3 victory.
In seven innings pitched, Vargas allowed just three base runners and two runs, one earned, on three hits and struck out four. After allowing two hits in the first Vargas retired the next 17 batters before giving up a game-tying home run to Justin Upton in the seventh.
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Wladimir Balentien wasted no time contributing to the offense in his new full time role as Seattle's left fielder. Balentien hit a single in the second, then hit his second home run of the season in the fourth to take the lead 2-1.
After Upton's home run in the seventh to tie the game, Seattle bounced right back in their half of the seventh off a bases loaded sac fly from Mike Sweeney, which scored Ichiro, and a single by Franklin Gutierrez, which scored Russell Branyan, who was hit by a pitch, and Ronny Cedeno, who missed a bunt attempt to the pitcher.
Leading the majors with sacrafice bunts, Mariner's manager Don Wakamatsu opted against the bunt in the eighth and let Yuneski Betancourt swing away with two on. His choice paid off as Betancourt doubled over the head of center fielder Gerrado Parra and scored Chris Woodward, who came into the game to replace Adrian Beltre, and Rob Johnson who flew to score from first.
Reach Josh Stilts at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
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