Orioles 6, Mariners 3

BALTIMORE (AP) — Rafael Palmeiro singled in two runs to snap a seventh-inning tie, and the Baltimore Orioles handed the Seattle Mariners their sixth straight loss, 6-3 on Wednesday night.

Brian Roberts also had two RBIs for the Orioles, who completed their first three-game home sweep of the Mariners since May 1997.

Randy Winn homered and Ichiro Suzuki had three hits for the Mariners, who have lost eight of nine to fall 29 games under .500 (39-68) for the first time since Aug. 13, 1988.

About the only positive for the Mariners was that they ended their major league-tying run of 26 straight games in which they yielded a home run. Seattle had given up a homer in every game since July 4.

The Orioles scored three runs on one hit in the seventh to take a 6-3 lead. Roberts drew a leadoff walk from Shigetoshi Hasegawa (4-4) and took second on a sacrifice before Melvin Mora walked and Miguel Tejada reached on an error by third baseman Willie Bloomquist, who was trying too quickly to turn a double play.

After Palmeiro greeted Mike Myers with a single down the right-field line, Tejada scored on a wild pitch.

Todd Williams (1-0) got the last two outs in the seventh, Jason Grimsley worked a perfect eighth and Jorge Julio got three outs for his 17th save.

After being blanked on three hits over the first five innings by rookie Daniel Cabrera, Seattle pulled even with a three-run sixth. Suzuki hit a leadoff triple and Winn followed with his ninth homer, the first since July 11.

Cabrera was pulled after walking Miguel Olivo with two outs and the bases loaded, and Buddy Groom snared Bloomquist's liner up the middle.

The game was scoreless until the second inning, which was interrupted by a 57-minute rain delay. Immediately after play resumed, Mariners shortstop Jose Lopez fielded a two-out grounder in the hole and threw the wet ball wildly to first, allowing Javy Lopez to score from second with an unearned run.

Seattle starter Gil Meche retired the first batters in the fourth before the Orioles loaded the bases for Roberts, who grounded a two-run single into left for a 3-0 lead. It was the perfect scenario for Roberts, now 12-for-26 with 39 RBIs in his career with the bases filled.

Meche allowed three runs, two earned, and nine hits in six innings.