Clement helps M's stop skid with 7-5 victory over A's

Clement helps M's stop skid with 7-5 victory over A's
Published: August 22nd, 2008 10:40 PM

Rookie Jeff Clement had two run-scoring doubles to help the Seattle Mariners break their seven-game losing streak with a 7-5 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Friday night.

Roy Corcoran (4-0), who allowed one hit in two innings of relief, earned the victory. J.J. Putz put two runners on in the ninth but held on to pick up his eighth save in 15 opportunities. It was his first save since June 9 at Toronto.

Clement, who had three RBI, hit his second double in the Mariners’ go-ahead two-run rally in the seventh. Adrian Beltre opened with a double to center off Jerry Blevins (1-3) and Raul Ibañez advanced him to third with a right-side groundout. With the infield in, Jose Lopez reached out for a RBI single through the middle for a 6-5 lead.

Clement then hit Blevins’ first pitch for a double off the wall in left-center and Lopez scored from first.

Rajai Davis, who replaced Jack Cust in the third inning when the latter complained of blurred vision, gave the A’s a 1-0 lead in the fourth with a home run just inside the left-field foul pole. Davis and Bobby Crosby both had three hits for the A’s.

Seattle responded with a four-run rally in the bottom of the inning. Ibanez walked then Lopez ripped an RBI double against the left-center wall. After Wladimir Balentien reached on an error, Clement slammed a two-run double against the wall in center.

Clement moved to third on Bryan LaHair’s sacrifice bunt. Miguel Cairo followed with a perfectly placed suicide squeeze up the third-base line and Clement scored easily.

The Mariners, who were shut out by the A’s on Thursday, ended a 16-inning scoreless streak with the outburst.

The A’s countered with a four-run rally in the sixth to take back the lead. Carlos Gonzalez’s fielder’s choice sent home one run and Daric Barton’s RBI single made it 4-3. Cliff Pennington capped it with a two-run bloop single off Cesar Jimenez for a 5-4 lead.

Ichiro Suzuki tied it in the sixth with a run-scoring groundout.




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