Mariners ride Suzuki to victory

TORONTO — Now, they’re getting cocky.

Riding a four-game winning streak that matched their longest of the season, the Seattle Mariners came north of the border and spotted the Toronto Blue Jays a 4-0 lead Tuesday.

Then, as if pretending to be mortal, Ichiro Suzuki started the game going 0 for 2.

Either the Blue Jays bought it and relaxed or the Mariners have found the ability to win – a little late, but at last – and they came back to beat Toronto, 7-5.

Oh, and Ichiro? He had hits in his last three at-bats, drove in two runs and ended August with 56 hits for the month – something no player had done since Roy Weatherly had as many in July 1936.

Asked if he knew Weatherly, Ichiro deadpanned, “Of course.”

What’s happening now won’t change Seattle’s standing in the A.L. West, but if they can keep their offense, defense and bullpen rolling like this in September, A.L. West contenders could have trouble.

“The last five games, the rotation hasn’t helped much – I think we’ve been behind early in every game,” starter Jamie Moyer said. “But we’re coming back on teams. We’ve been able to control the damage a little and let the guys come back.”

Come back, the Mariners did. Come back, they had to.

Moyer allowed back-to-back home runs in the third inning, breaking the franchise record for home runs allowed in a season – he’s given up 36 and hasn’t won a game since June.

“Have I ever gone two months without a win before?” Moyer said, repeating a question. “No, and I’ve never been on a team that won 50 games in five months, either. It’s all related. What we do reflects one another.”

Down 4-0, the Mariners’ comeback reflected a new-look roster with a decidedly younger feel:

“No. 9 hitter, rookie shortstop Jose Lopez, hit a three-run home run in the fifth, guessing right on a pitch from Josh Towers.

“I was looking breaking pitch and he threw a slider,” Lopez said. “That’s the biggest home run I’ve hit up here.”

It was also his third.

“Lopez, Ichiro and Randy Winn singled in the seventh, pushing home two runs that gave the Mariners a 5-4 lead.

“Tied at 5, rookie Bucky Jacobsen doubled in the eighth and was replaced by Willie Bloomquist. Jolbert Cabrera walked and Seattle pulled off a double steal.

“That steal is an adrenaline play because there are so many more ways to score from third base than second, but if you get caught, you’ve screwed up the inning,” Bloomquist said.

Bloomquist has stolen 13 bases in 15 attempts.

Dan Wilson followed with an RBI single to put Seattle ahead and – guess who! – Ichiro singled home an insurance run.

“Ichiro is a hitter who puts pressure on the other team,” manager Bob Melvin said. “You can’t defend him. He hits the ball everywhere.”

From there, the kids in the bullpen took over. Scott Atchison got the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings. George Sherrill got the first two outs of the ninth – retiring Carlos Delgado and then Eric Hinske – and J.J. Putz got the final out for his sixth save.

All three are rookies.

If it’s true things start at the top, then Ichiro – at the top of the Mariners lineup every day – is on a roll that factors into most every game.

“I knew when I got to 50 hits, but I didn’t know when I broke the team record by Alex (Rodriguez) for hits in a month,” Ichiro said. “Some records I know, some I don’t.”

He’s after them all.

A-Rod had a Mariners record 54 hits in August 1996. He had it until Tuesday, when Ichiro tied it in the fifth, broke it in the seventh and added a little extra to the mark in the eighth.

With one month and 31 games left on the schedule, Ichiro has 212 hits – 45 behind the major league single-season record held by George Sisler since 1920.

“I’m happier than happy,” Ichiro said when asked to describe August.

“Every time I step on the field, it’s a challenge. September will be a challenge.”

Is Ichiro having a career season? Compared to Mr. Weatherly, yes.

Weatherly was a rookie in 1936, brought up to the Indians on June 27. He then collected 56 hits in July – and never again came close to such a month.

After the crowd around him had lightened, Ichiro smiled and asked: “Who was Weatherly?”

Borders sent to Twins

Veteran catcher Pat Borders was traded to the A.L. Central-leading Minnesota Twins by Seattle for minor league outfielder B.J. Garbe of Moses Lake, Wash.

The 41-year-old Borders hit .189 with one home run and five RBIs in 19 games with the Mariners this season. In 36 games with Triple-A Tacoma, he hit .255 with five homers and 13 RBIs.