Dodgers end Seattle’s interleague magic
LOS ANGELES – Derek Lowe pitched a seven-hitter to win his fifth straight decision, Cesar Izturis got three hits and scored twice in his first start since last August, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2 Thursday night to snap a five-game losing streak.
The loss ended a five-game winning streak for the Mariners – their longest since August 2004 – and was just their sixth setback in 20 games.
It was also the first interleague loss in nine games for the Mariners, who were the first team to win eight straight interleague games to begin a season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki went hitless in four at-bats to end his 20-game hitting streak.
Lowe (6-3) walked none and struck out six in the Dodgers’ first complete game of the season and just the fifth of his career in 171 starts – 16 this year.
Izturis was activated Tuesday, and played in his first game that night since Aug. 22. He underwent Tommy John surgery Sept. 16 to repair degenerative arthritis in his right elbow.
He singled in his first three at-bats off Felix Hernandez before striking out against Eddie Guardado in the seventh.
A Gold Glove shortstop in 2004, Izturis made his debut at third base, playing the position for the first time since May 12, 1999, when he was a minor leaguer in the Toronto organization. He handled six grounders without a problem and caught a popup.
The Dodgers scored three runs in the sixth to take a 4-2 lead and chase Hernandez (7-7), who entered having won four straight starts.
Los Angeles loaded the bases with one out on singles by J.D. Drew, Andre Ethier and Izturis before rookie Russell Martin hit a two-run single. Rafael Furcal added an RBI single before Julio Mateo struck out Nomar Garciaparra with the bases loaded to end the inning.
Yuniesky Betancourt hit his fourth homer in the third and Raul Ibanez hit his 14th in the fourth to give the Mariners a 2-0 lead.
The Dodgers got their first run in the fifth on singles by Izturis, Martin and Furcal before Hernandez pitched out of a first-and-third, one-out jam.
Hernandez allowed 11 hits and four runs in 5 2/3 innings. He walked none and struck out six.