Betancourt lifts M's over A's in ninth inning

Sep 13, 2007, 5:59 GMT

Seattle, WA - Yuniesky Betancourt's run-scoring single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth lifted Seattle over Oakland, 6-5, in the finale of a three-game set at Safeco Field.

Jose Guillen got on with a one-out single off Andrew Brown (2-2) and advanced to second when Ben Broussard hit a slow grounder to second. Brown intentionally walked Jose Vidro to face Betancourt, who ripped a clean single to center to win the game.

Betancourt and Raul Ibanez both drove in two runs for the Mariners, who won for just the third time in 18 games, and remained 6 1/2 games behind New York in the AL wild card race. The Yankees downed Toronto on Wednesday.

Adam Jones added a pinch-hit homer for Seattle.

Miguel Batista surrendered three runs -- two earned -- on eight hits in six innings en route to a no-decision. J.J. Putz (3-1) got the win with a perfect ninth.

'It was nice to see J.J. out there pitching in a meaningful situation,' Mariners manger John McLaren said.

Nick Swisher and Mike Piazza both drove in two runs for the Athletics, who won two of three in the series.

Dan Haren surrendered four runs on 12 hits in 6 2/3 innings of work as the A's starter.

The A's went on top in the first when Swisher's sacrifice fly chased Shannon Stewart across the plate.

The Mariners bounced back with a pair of runs in the third. With the bases loaded and two down, Ibanez ripped a two-run double to right.

Oakland evened things at two in the fourth with three consecutive singles by Mark Ellis, Dan Johnson and Kurt Suzuki.

The give-and-take continued in the home half of the fourth as the Mariners went back in front. Broussard singled and went to third on Vidro's base hit before Betancourt lofted a sacrifice fly to center that made it a 3-2 game.

The A's answered again in the fifth. Stewart doubled and quickly moved to third on Daric Barton's single. Swisher then lofted a high fly to center that Ichiro Suzuki tracked down but misplayed for his first error in 137 games. The miscue allowed Stewart to score and Swisher advanced all the way to second. Jack Cust was intentionally walked to load the bases but Batista averted any further damage. First, he got Ellis to fly out and Johnson followed by grounding into a 3-6-1 double play.

Suzuki put the Mariners back in front during the sixth with a two-out RBI single that scored Betancourt.

The game was back on the see-saw in the seventh when the A's went back in front. Piazza, a pinch hitter, laced a two-out, two-run single off George Sherrill to make it 5-4.

The Mariners wouldn't go away, however. Jones led off with eighth with his second homer of the year off Alan Embree to deadlock things at five.

'I tried to make contact and get the ball in the air,' Jones said. 'I managed to get it out of the park. I know my role and everytime I get out there I try and make something happen.'

Game Notes

The Mariners activated right-handed pitcher Jon Huber from the 15-day disabled list before the game. Huber had been on the disabled list since June 9 with a right forearm strain. Huber faced one batter and recorded a strikeout...Seattle is 11-5 against the A's this season.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

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