M’s hold on

MILWAUKEE – Brian Sweeney had plenty of time to think in Japan after his family returned to the United States while he finished out a disappointing third season with the Nippon Ham Fighters.

His return to the majors seemed even further away after 49 games from 2003-06 with Seattle and San Diego. But given another chance and eventually a major league call-up, a long wait to pitch was nothing.

Sweeney returned to the majors with four scoreless innings in his first appearance since 2006 and Milton Bradley and Jose Lopez homered, rallying the Seattle Mariners to a 5-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.

“It’s been a while. This is what you grow up dreaming about,” the 36-year-old Sweeney said. “You want to pitch in the big leagues. To get back here again, it feels just as good as the first time I got called up.”

His return did wonders for the short-handed Seattle bullpen, missing two key relievers because of injuries and also without closer David Aardsma, who left to be with his wife for the birth of their first child. Aardsma is expected to return on Tuesday in New York.

“It’s always satisfying, no matter what. Being here, being a part of this team was very satisfying today, just as it was in 2003 when I got that call,” said Sweeney, who still believed that he could pitch and pitch confidently during his long, lonely nights thinking about his future overseas.

Sweeney (1-0) was called up from Triple-A Tacoma on June 15 and made his first appearance after Doug Fister finished four innings in his return from the disabled list.

“He’s throwing really good. I know that guy from four, five years ago in San Diego,” said Lopez, who extended his hitting streak to 10 games. “He doesn’t pitch for a while, four or five days?”

Try a lot longer. Sweeney’s last appearance came in the minors on June 12.

“Brian Sweeney is the whole story of today’s game – to be able to not pitch in 13 days and come out there and shut that offense down,” Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said. “Just unbelievable job, poise, everything.”

Sweeney retired his final 10 batters and allowed just one hit, striking out four. Brandon League converted his second save with a perfect ninth, getting George Kottaras to fly out for the final out.

M’s trade for Branyan

The Mariners are bringing back Russell Branyan, getting him from the Cleveland Indians for minor leaguers Ezequiel Carrera, a Triple-A outfielder, and Juan Diaz, a Single-A shortstop, MLB.com reported late Saturday night. The Indians will also either pay the remainder of Branyan’s $2 million salary or send the M’s a player to be named later.

The Mariners opted not to re-sign Branyan, who had a problem with a bulging disc, after he hit a career-high 31 homers and drove in 76 runs last year.

Branyan is batting .263 with 10 HRs and 24 RBIs.

Mariners 5, Brewers 4

Seattle	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
I.Suzuki rf	4	0	1	0	0	1	.338
Figgins 2b	3	1	0	0	2	0	.232
F.Gutierrez cf	5	1	2	1	0	1	.274
Jo.Lopez 3b	5	1	1	2	0	1	.241
Bradley lf	5	2	1	1	0	1	.203
League p	0	0	0	0	0	0	—-
Jo.Wilson 1b	4	0	1	0	1	1	.286
Ja.Wilson ss	5	0	2	0	0	0	.272
Ro.Johnson c	3	0	1	1	1	0	.198
Fister p	2	0	0	0	0	2	.000
Carp ph	1	0	1	0	0	0	.167
B.Sweeney p	0	0	0	0	0	0	—-
M.Saunders lf	0	0	0	0	0	0	.208
Totals	37	5	10	5	4	7

Milwaukee	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
Weeks 2b	3	1	0	0	1	0	.259
Hart rf	4	1	1	2	0	1	.272
Fielder 1b	4	1	2	1	0	1	.260
Braun lf	4	0	1	0	0	1	.305
McGehee 3b	4	0	0	0	0	1	.264
Edmonds cf	4	0	0	0	0	1	.266
A.Escobar ss	4	0	0	0	0	0	.248
Kottaras c	4	0	0	0	0	1	.208
Wolf p	2	1	2	0	0	0	.314
Riske p	0	0	0	0	0	0	—-
Coffey p	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Braddock p	0	0	0	0	0	0	—-
Gomez ph	1	0	0	0	0	0	.238
Loe p	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Hoffman p	0	0	0	0	0	0	—-
Totals	34	4	6	3	1	6

Seattle	011	300	000—5	10	2
Milwaukee	004	000	000—4	6	1

E—Ja.Wilson (7), Fister (1), A.Escobar (11). LOB—Seattle 11, Milwaukee 4. 2B—F.Gutierrez (11), Ja.Wilson (9), Hart (16), Fielder (13), Wolf (3). HR—Bradley (7), off Wolf; Jo.Lopez (5), off Wolf; Fielder (15), off Fister. RBIs—F.Gutierrez (33), Jo.Lopez 2 (29), Bradley (27), Ro.Johnson (11), Hart 2 (57), Fielder (31). SB—Figgins (20), F.Gutierrez (9). S—B.Sweeney.

RLISP—Seattle 8; Milwaukee 2.

Seattle	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Fister	4	5	4	4	1	1	92	2.81
B.Sweeney W, 1-0	4	1	0	0	0	4	44	0.00
League S, 2-5	1	0	0	0	0	1	9	3.07

Milwaukee	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Wolf L, 5-7	5	8	5	4	4	4	110	4.92
Riske	1	1	0	0	0	1	18	0.00
Coffey	2/3	1	0	0	0	0	8	4.50
Braddock	1/3	0	0	0	0	1	5	6.35
Loe	1	0	0	0	0	1	12	0.59
Hoffman	1	0	0	0	0	0	7	8.25

IR-S—Braddock 1-0. IBB—off Wolf (Ro.Johnson). HBP—by Wolf (I.Suzuki). T—2:55. A—41,655 (41,900).