Mariners end skid in dramatic fashion

CLEVELAND – For the Mariners to finally pull out an elusive victory on this trip, it came down to a tenacious at-bat, a gutsy decision, and a nail-biting save.

Those elements added up to a 3-2 Seattle victory over Cleveland at Progressive Field Monday night. But it wasn’t secure until closer Brandon League, with Cleveland runners on second and third in the bottom of the ninth, induced a slow grounder to first from Ezequiel Carrera – on a 3-2 pitch after three foul balls, to wring full dramatic effect – for the final out.

About the only downside for the Mariners was the end of Mike Carp’s 20-game hitting streak. Carp was hit by a pitch to extend his streak of getting on base to 30 games, but he went 0 for 4, including a strikeout with the bases loaded in the ninth.

“I had a lot of fun with it,” Carp said. “I’ll start a new one tomorrow.”

In the ninth, which began with the teams locked in a 2-2 tie, Franklin Gutierrez turned in the tenacious at-bat. With one out and the bases loaded against Indians closer Chris Perez, whose wildness had worked him into the jam but whose electric stuff was threatening to pull him out of it, Gutierrez worked the count full. Then he lofted a fly to medium center.

Catcher Miguel Olivo tagged up at third and didn’t hesitate, taking off for home and barely beating the strong, accurate throw from center fielder Carrera.

“You know what? We’ve got to do it,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said of Olivo’s decision to head home.

Indians catcher Lou Marson put a high tag on Olivo just after he slid across the plate. The Indians argued the call by plate umpire Phil Cuzzi, but replays indicated he got it right.

Wedge reserved some praise for Gutierrez’s role in the winning run.

“I can’t say enough about Gutierrez’s at-bat. A tough AB, and he hung in there and stuck in there, and was able to get the ball to the outfield.”

Said Gutierrez: “I wasn’t thinking anything. I was just trying to make contact if it was a good pitch. (Perez) was kind of wild and I was trying to get that run in. So that’s what happened. Good for Olivo to hustle in that run.”

League, who had blown a 4-2 ninth-inning lead in his last Cleveland appearance in May, got two quick outs in the bottom of the ninth. He then gave up two singles and a stolen base to leave the Indians one hit away from victory before wrapping up his 31st save.

That ensured that recently acquired rookie Chance Ruffin, who worked a 1-2-3 eighth, picked up his first major-league victory in his fifth appearance – the last three of those with Seattle.

“It feels pretty good,” Ruffin said. “It’s a great thing to be part of and have go on your record. I love being in pressure situations and being a go-to guy.”

Ruffin had replaced starter Jason Vargas, who turned in a strong seven-inning outing. Both runs he allowed were unearned by virtue of a throwing error in the second by shortstop Brendan Ryan.

Ichiro Suzuki had gotten the Mariners off to a promising start with the 35th leadoff homer of his career off Cleveland starter Fausto Carmona.

But after Seattle loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth on two hit batters and a Perez error, Ichiro struck out. That left the heroics to Gutierrez and Olivo.