Mariners snap Yankees’ 7-game winning streak, 8-4
Friday, July 3, 2009 10:25 AM PDT
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| Bill Kostroun | Associated Press
Seattle Mariners’ Franklin Gutierrez watches his home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees on Thursday at Yankee Stadium in New York. The Mariners beat the Yankees, 8-4. |
NEW YORK (AP) — When he finally connected, Russell Branyan made it count.
Branyan rebounded from a frustrating string of strikeouts with a mammoth homer over Monument Park, and the Seattle Mariners beat CC Sabathia 8-4 on Thursday night to snap the New York Yankees’ seven-game winning streak.
‘‘Majestic,’’ Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said.
Franklin Gutierrez also homered and Ichiro Suzuki hit a two-run double that was misplayed by center fielder Melky Cabrera. Chris Woodward added two RBIs as Seattle won in the Bronx for the first time since Sept. 3, 2007, ending a 10-game road losing streak against the Yankees.
‘‘Our guys are learning how to win,’’ reliever Miguel Batista said.
Branyan launched his 20th homer in the ninth inning, a two-run shot off right-hander Alfredo Aceves that made it 8-4. It was the first drive at the new Yankee Stadium to carom off the tinted-glass windows of the big sports bar in straightaway center, above Monument Park.
It also ended a rough stretch for Branyan, who struck out seven straight times in two nights — all against lefties — before drawing a walk from Sabathia in the sixth.
‘‘I know it’s just a matter of time before I come out of something like that,’’ Branyan said. ‘‘In the grand scheme of things, it’s just two days. If I can limit my bad at-bats to two days, I’ll take it.’’
Seattle avoided a three-game sweep and handed Sabathia (7-5) his second loss in 11 starts.
‘‘It was frustrating just because we were playing so well,’’ Sabathia said. ‘‘It was just one of those days when I left some pitches up.’’
Gutierrez had three hits for the third time in five games. Five of his eight homers have come in the past 15 games.
Batista (5-2) pitched two hitless innings to win in relief of ill starter Jason Vargas, who lasted four innings with flu symptoms. Wakamatsu appreciated the effort. He said Vargas was vomiting until about 3 a.m. Thursday.
Mark Lowe worked two scoreless innings before David Aardsma finished. Seattle’s bullpen yielded three hits in five scoreless innings.
‘‘A lot of unsung heroes today,’’ Wakamatsu said.
Hideki Matsui homered and drove in three runs for New York, while Robinson Cano had three hits.
The first pitch was delayed 36 minutes due to threatening storms, though they never brought rain. Sabathia entered 6-1 with a 2.82 ERA in his previous 10 outings, but he struggled right from the start.
