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Phelps’ blast dooms M’s

Toronto's Josh Phelps follows through on his grand slam in the second inning, giving the Blue Jays a 4-0 lead Wednesday night at Safeco Field in Seattle. It was the Lakeland High grad's first career grand slam and fifth homer this season. Toronto's Josh Phelps follows through on his grand slam in the second inning, giving the Blue Jays a 4-0 lead Wednesday night at Safeco Field in Seattle. It was the Lakeland High grad's first career grand slam and fifth homer this season. (Associated PressAssociated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
From wire reports
Toronto's Josh Phelps follows through on his grand slam in the second inning, giving the Blue Jays a 4-0 lead Wednesday night at Safeco Field in Seattle. It was the Lakeland High grad's first career grand slam and fifth homer this season. Toronto's Josh Phelps follows through on his grand slam in the second inning, giving the Blue Jays a 4-0 lead Wednesday night at Safeco Field in Seattle. It was the Lakeland High grad's first career grand slam and fifth homer this season. (Associated PressAssociated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

SEATTLE – Lakeland High School graduate Josh Phelps thought he hit a sacrifice fly. To his surprise, the ball carried a little farther.

Phelps, who had only one hit in his previous 14 at-bats, hit his first career grand slam to lead the Toronto Blue Jays over the Seattle Mariners 5-3 Wednesday night.

“It was one of those where I was just fortunate to hit it at the right time of the day,” Phelps, the Lakeland High School product, said. “When I first hit the ball I thought, `Good, at least I’ll get one run in.’ But the ball just kept carrying out there in right field.”

It was another untimely bad pitch for Joel Pineiro (1-7), who allowed a grand slam to Boston’s David Ortiz in his previous start, last Friday.

“I didn’t want to go 3-0 on him, so I tried to go away and he just got the good part of the bat on it,” Pineiro said. “It’s been the same things all year. One inning I give up three or four runs and it’s all over.”

Blue Jays manager Carlos Tosca, who moved the slumping Phelps down to the eighth spot in the batting order for only the second time this season, was also stunned that Phelps’ high fly reached the seats in the second inning.

“It was nice for us to get an extra-base hit with the bases loaded, which we haven’t exactly been doing lately,” Tosca said. “When he first hit it, I didn’t think it was going out.”

Ted Lilly (4-2) won his fourth straight decision, allowing two runs and seven hits in 61/3 innings. He had been 1-5 with a 6.31 ERA in 11 previous games against Seattle.

“I was trying to get as many outs out of him as I could,” Tosca said. “We were really thin out there (in the bullpen) tonight. He almost got through seven innings, and we needed that.”

Kerry Ligtenberg pitched the ninth for his second save in three chances, allowing an RBI single to pinch-hitter Dave Hansen.

Raul Ibanez, who leads the Mariners with 11 homers, strained his right hamstring while beating out a bunt single in the second.

“He felt a pop when he was running down the line,” Melvin said. “I don’t know for sure, but it sounds to me like it would be a borderline miracle not to be a 15-day stint.”

Pineiro gave up five runs and seven hits in 71/3 innings. He is 0-6 with a 5.20 ERA in eight starts since beating Texas on April 18.

Toronto got its second straight road win after losing six in a row away from home. Seattle, which stranded eight runners in the first five innings and 11 overall, has lost five of its last seven.

“We left more guys on out there,” Mariners manager Bob Melvin said. “They got the big hit with the bases loaded and it ended up being the difference. Tonight we had quite a few more opportunities than they did, but they capitalized on them and we didn’t.”

Toronto went ahead on Phelps’ fifth homer, which followed singles by Vernon Wells and Gregg Zaun, and a walk to Chris Gomez.

Howie Clark drove made it 5-0 with a squeeze bunt in the fourth that followed Zaun’s double and Gomez’s groundout.

Dan Wilson hit an RBI single in the bottom half and Rich Aurilia homered in the sixth.

Meche demoted to Tacoma

When Gil Meche arrived at Safeco Field about 3 p.m. Wednesday, he didn’t wait to be called into manager Bob Melvin’s office. Meche entered himself, ready to discuss his future.

“I wanted to ask him what he thought and what was going to happen because I didn’t want to walk around here not knowing,” Meche said. After just a few minutes, he knew. The Mariners were sending their struggling right-handed pitcher to the Class AAA Tacoma Rainiers, where he can sort out the problems that have turned him into a mental mess on the mound.

Meche, 1-5 with a 7.06 earned run average, couldn’t have agreed more with the decision. “I haven’t slept well this whole year. I talked to my wife a lot last night and weighed all the options of what could happen,” he said. “There are more positives about me going to Triple A and pitching. I’d never wanted to pitch in the minor leagues again, but this is where I know I should be. It’s to the point now where I’m hurting the ballclub and not only that, but I’m killing myself on the mound.”

To replace Meche on the roster, the Mariners recalled utility player Hiram Bocachica from Tacoma.