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Mariners 7, Orioles 5

by David GINSBURG<br>AP Sports Writer
| April 28, 2004 9:00 PM

BALTIMORE (AP) — Dan Wilson homered in the fourth inning and then drove in the tiebreaking run in the seventh, and the Seattle Mariners snapped a five-game losing streak by beating the Baltimore Orioles 7-5 Tuesday night.

John Olerud had three of Seattle's 13 hits, and the Mariners improved to 1-11 when allowing five or more runs in a game. It was the 100th win for Seattle manager Bob Melvin, who accomplished the feat in 182 games — fastest in franchise history.

Rafael Palmeiro and Larry Bigbie homered, and Brian Roberts had three hits for the Orioles, who have lost a season-high three straight.

With the score 5-all in the seventh, Rich Aurilia drew a two-out walk from Rodrigo Lopez (1-1). Buddy Groom then gave up a single to Olerud, and Wilson followed with an RBI single off Mike DeJean. Jolbert Cabrera made it 7-5 with a single up the middle.

Ron Villone (2-0) pitched 1 2-3 innings and Eddie Guardado, the sixth Seattle pitcher, got four outs for his third save. He retired Javy Lopez in the eighth with the bases loaded and two outs.

Seattle starter Gil Meche labored through three innings in which he gave up two runs and four hits and walked three. He threw 87 pitches.

But he was better than Orioles starter Matt Riley, who allowed nine hits — eight in a stretch of nine batters — before being yanked in the fourth.

The Mariners scored four in the fourth to go up 5-2. After Wilson hit a leadoff homer, Cabrera doubled and Ichiro Suzuki hit an RBI single. Scott Spiezio then chased Riley with a single, and Suzuki scored on a passed ball before Edgar Martinez hit a run-scoring groundout.

Miguel Tejada hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the bottom half, but Melvin Mora was thrown out at second on the play to end the inning.

Mora made amends in the sixth. After Bigbie hit a solo homer, Roberts doubled and Mora singled in a run to tie the game for the last time.

The Orioles opened the scoring in the first when Meche walked Jay Gibbons with the bases loaded to force in a run.

Seattle drew even in the third when Raul Ibanez hit an RBI single, but the tie lasted only until Palmeiro connected on Meche's first pitch in the bottom half. It was his third homer of the year and 49th of his career against the Mariners, the most against any team.

Notes: Seattle improved to 2-8 when scoring at least five runs. … After the start of the game was delayed by rain for 29 minutes, Riley failed to throw a strike until his seventh pitch. … No one has hit more homers against the Mariners than Palmeiro.