Subscribe now
Seattle Mariners

Smoak’s 3-run, 8th-inning homer lifts M’s

Seattle Mariners' Justin Smoak hits a 3-run home run as Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters looks on in the eighth inning of a game played Tuesday, May 31, 2011, in Seattle. (Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)
Associated Press
Seattle Mariners' Justin Smoak hits a 3-run home run as Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters looks on in the eighth inning of a game played Tuesday, May 31, 2011, in Seattle. (Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)
SEATTLE — Justin Smoak hit a two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning off cruising Baltimore starter Jeremy Guthrie, giving the Seattle Mariners a stunning 3-2 win over the Orioles on Tuesday night. Seattle did nothing against Guthrie (2-7) for seven inning and did just enough to keep the eighth alive, using an error by Guthrie and Brendan Ryan’s two-out single to keep the inning alive. Smoak then belted an 0-1 pitch from Guthrie 408-feet into the right field seats. It was his eighth homer of the season and his second since May 13. Chris Ray (2-1) pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief of Erik Bedard to get the victory and Brandon League pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 18 chances. Seattle won for the 11th time in 14 games.