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Cleveland, OH (SportsNetwork.com) – Dustin Ackley’s two-run double helped fuel the Seattle offense as the Mariners took a 5-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians in the opener of a three-game set on Tuesday.
Ackley finished 3-for-5 with a run scored and Mike Zunino homered and scored twice for the Mariners, who snapped a string of six straight losses at Progressive Field.
Hisashi Iwakuma (9-5) earned the win after yielding just two runs on six hits with six strikeouts over seven strong innings. Iwakuma is now 9-0 over his last 14 road starts dating back to July 20, 2013.
Jason Kipnis and Yan Gomes each drove in a run for Cleveland, which has dropped five of its last six games. Starter Trevor Bauer (4-6) was tagged with the loss after giving up all five runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 frames.
Seattle opened the scoring in the fourth. Kyle Seager got aboard with a leadoff bunt and Zunino was hit by a pitch before Corey Hart’s double down the left-field line scored Seager.
After James Jones struck out, Ackley’s double off the top of the right-field wall plated Zunino and Hart before Chris Taylor’s RBI double to left gave the Mariners a 4-0 lead.
Zunino’s solo shot to left with one out in the fifth staked Seattle to a 5-0 advantage and chased Bauer from the game.
Nick Swisher doubled to center in the home half, moved to third on David Murphy’s groundout and scored on Gomes’ liner to left-center field. Chris Dickerson doubled to place men at second and third before Kipnis’ groundout scored Gomes, making it a 5-2 game.
In the ninth, Fernando Rodney worked around a one-out single and struck out two batters to earn his 29th save of the season.
Game Notes
Cleveland first baseman Carlos Santana extended his hitting streak to eight games … Iwakuma walked Indians outfielder Michael Brantley in the first inning, ending a streak of 35 2/3 innings without a walk … Iwakuma’s nine-game road winning streak is tied with Jamie Moyer for second in franchise history … Cleveland’s last home loss against Seattle came on Sept. 19, 2011 … Rodney’s 29 saves is most in the American League … Cleveland finished 1- for-7 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base.