Mariners support Pineiro

SEATTLE – Joel Pineiro pitched three-hit ball into the eighth inning, Raul Ibanez homered and had four hits, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-1 Monday night at Safeco Field.

The loss cut the Angels’ lead in the A.L. West to one game over Oakland, which won 2-0 in Cleveland.

Richie Sexson hit a two-run homer in the third, his 35th, to put the Mariners ahead 2-1. Ibanez stole home on a double steal in the fifth and hit his 18th homer in the seventh, a solo shot.

Pineiro (7-9), who entered with a 5.43 ERA, has turned a dismal season around this month. In three starts spanning 22 1/3 innings, he has allowed only four runs for a 1.61 ERA.

After Adam Kennedy’s one-out double in the third, Pineiro retired 14 batters in a row. He issued just one walk and struck out two in 7 2/3 innings. It was the second time he beat the Angels this season.

Chone Figgins doubled on Pineiro’s second pitch, extending his hitting streak to 11 games. He scored on Garret Anderson’s sacrifice fly. Of the 101 runs Pineiro has allowed this season, 16 have come in the first inning. But the Mariners improved to 16-33 when their opponent scores in the first.

Ichiro Suzuki opened the third with a single and stole second. Sexson’s shot off Ervin Santana (8-8) gave him 106 RBIs.

The Mariners added a run in the fourth on Yorvit Torrealba’s RBI single with two outs.

Ibanez started the fifth with a double off the center-field wall. With two outs and runners at the corners, Adrian Beltre broke for second. Angels catcher Bengie Molina threw down, and Ibanez broke for the plate. Second baseman Adam Kennedy’s throw back home was wide and Ibanez slid in without a tag.

It was the second steal of home by the Mariners this season. Bret Boone did it April 30 in Oakland, also on a double steal.