BALTIMORE -- One early mistake to Adrian Beltre was
enough to send Erik Bedard to his first loss in six weeks.
Felix Hernandez and three relievers made Beltre's early two-run
homer stand as the Seattle Mariners beat Bedard and the Orioles,
2-1, in the rubber game of a mid-week series played in 102
degree heat.
With one out in the first inning, Bedard (12-7) gave up a single
to Jose Lopez and Beltre followed with just his 10th homer of
the season.
"(Bedard) left the ball over the plate, after getting two
strikes on me," Beltre said. "I took advantage of it. It wasn't
the best swing, but I made good contact on it."
Hernandez (10-9) was pulled after issuing back-to-back walks to
Melvin Mora and Miguel Tejada to begin the bottom of the sixth.
Jay Gibbons greeted Mark Lowe with an RBIs single, but the
reliever struck out Jeff Conine and Corey Patterson lined into a
double play to end the threat.
"It looked like he was losing the grip on the ball," Mariners
manager Mike Hargrove said of Hernandez. "It was funny, both
pitchers got tired about the same time, especially in the heat."
Lowe, George Sherrill and J.J. Putz preserved the one-run
advantage to saddle Bedard with his first loss since June 11 at
Minnesota. The Canadian lefthander had been 7-0 in eight starts
since that defeat.
"I could care less about the streak," Bedard said. "I went out
there and gave my team a chance to win. That's the best I can
do."
Putz recorded the final four outs for his 23rd save.
"They have some great arms in their bullpen," Orioles center
fielder Patterson said. "They are tough."
Hernandez yielded one run, four hits and four walks in five-plus
frames. The Venezuelan righthander also allowed just one run
and four hits in his last start, a six-inning outing against
Cleveland last Friday, but he absorbed a 1-0 loss.
"(Hernandez) really had it going," Hargrove said. "It was
golden."
"He's one of the next great arms," Orioles second baseman Brian
Roberts said. "He certainly showed it today."
Roberts was ejected by plate umpire Mark Wegner in the eighth
inning for arguing a called third strike.
"It's a tough job (umpiring)," Roberts said. "I don't usually
say much, most of the umpires know that, but it's frustrating in
that situation. I wanted the chance to hit and caught called
out on a pitch you don't feel like you get a chance."
Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo came out to argue the call and was
ejected for the third time this season.
"We battled. We just couldn't muster any runs," Perlozzo said.
"Erik battled extremely hard in a tough temperature and the
bullpen came in a did a great job. We just couldn't get
anything going offensively."