Baltimore, MD – Michael Saunders hit three-run and two-run homers to help the Seattle Mariners to an 8-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles in the second of three games from Camden Yards.
Justin Smoak went 3-for-3 with a solo home run and three runs scored while Michael Morse scored twice and drove in a run for the Mariners, who snapped a four-game losing streak.
"I'm just taking things one at-bat at a time," said Saunders. "But the way we've been swinging the bats lately, it makes it a little easier because if one guy fails, the next guy will pick him up."
Erasmo Ramirez (3-0) pitched six-plus innings and was charged with four runs on four hits and six strikeouts to win his third straight start.
Matt Wieters and Manny Machado each hit a solo home run for the Orioles, who had won three of four coming in. Scott Feldman (2-3) was touched for five runs on seven hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings to drop his second straight start.
"Scott is better than that," said Baltimore manager Buck Showalter. "He'll figure it out, he's a smart man and very athletic. He was just missing some spots tonight."
Seattle got on board in the second thanks to Smoak's one-out solo homer to right, his 10th of the season, but Wieters broke an 0-for-25 snap in the home half of the second as he smacked a pitch over the wall in center for his 15th of the campaign.
The two clubs exchanged runs in the fourth as Brad Miller scored Morse on a fielder's choice in Seattle's turn, and Machado led off the Baltimore portion with his 10th home run of the season.
Seattle, though, went back on top in the fifth. Kyle Seager led off the frame with a walk and later stole second with two outs. Morse brought him home with a single and Smoak followed with a single to chase Feldman from the game.
T.J. McFarland then took the mound, but Saunders greeted him by clubbing a 2-2 pitch well over the right-center wall for his ninth homer of the year and a 6-2 lead.
Baltimore cut its deficit in half with two runs in the seventh. Nick Markakis led off with a single and Adam Jones followed with a double. Charlie Furbush then took the mound and got the first out on a sac fly from Chris Davis that scored Markakis. Wieters followed with a single to make it a 6-4 game. Furbush retired the next two batters to escape the frame.
The Mariners threatened in the eighth as they put men on first and second with one out. Raul Ibanez then singled off the wall in right, but Nick Franklin was thrown out at home on the relay, and Ibanez was caught off base by Wieters to end the inning.
Baltimore left men on first and second in the eighth, and Saunders put the game away in the ninth with his second home run of the game, a two-run shot to left, for an 8-4 lead.
Game Notes
Baltimore fell to 19-10 against the AL West this season ... Seattle designated hitter Kendrys Morales came into the game with a hit in eight straight plate appearances, but had that streak broken in the first when he grounded out back to the mound. The Mariners club record for consecutive hits is nine, set by Ibanez back in 2004 ... Seattle won despite leaving 12 men on base. The team had men reach base in every inning ... Seattle is 3-2 against Baltimore this season.
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