White Sox finish off Mariners

CHICAGO — Felix Diaz did something that few pitchers have been able to do lately. He found a way to shut down Ichiro Suzuki.

Backed by two-run homers from Joe Borchard and Paul Konerko, Diaz (2-4) allowed one run and five hits — none to Suzuki — in six innings to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.

The right-hander, who entered with a 9.09 ERA, got Suzuki to ground out three times as the White Sox won their third straight.

Suzuki got a single off reliever Jon Adkins in the seventh to go 1 for 4 and give him a major league-leading 224 hits, 33 short of the all-time single-season record. He has 26 games remaining to reach the record of 257 hits, set by George Sisler in 1920 with the St. Louis Browns.

But by the time Suzuki reached base Sunday, Diaz had already set the tone.

Making his seventh start, Diaz didn’t allow a run until Edgar Martinez doubled in Randy Winn with two outs in the sixth.

“My pitches were better and I was able to set them up better,” Diaz said through a translator. “When I came up (from Triple-A Charlotte) I had confidence, but maybe then the batters had more confidence.”

Diaz’s previous win was June 26 against the Cubs when he allowed three runs in six innings He had been 0-3 with two no-decisions since.

“He threw strikes and changes speeds real well,” manager Ozzie Guillen said.

Catcher Jamie Burke added: “The big thing was he was getting ahead of hitters. He was strong with all his pitches on both sides of the plate.”

Diaz tried to keep his pitches inside against Suzuki. On Sunday, it worked.

“He threw fastballs, changeups and sliders,” Suzuki said through a translator.

Jolbert Cabrera hit a solo homer in the ninth off Damaso Marte for the Mariners, who lost their fifth straight. Marte got four outs for his fifth save.

Seattle starter Jamie Moyer (6-10) allowed five runs in seven innings in his eighth straight loss. He hasn’t won since June 18 at Pittsburgh, and has seven no-decisions during that span.

“It’s mistakes that are getting taken advantage of,” Moyer said. “I made fewer of them today, but they were taken advantage of.”

The White Sox swept the Mariners at U.S. Cellular Field this season 6-0. Chicago reached the 200-home run mark for the fifth straight season. The Yankees are the only other team to accomplish the feat.