Sat Jul 19 19:29:26 2008

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Tribe use big third to top M's

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Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Shin-Soo Choo went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer and three runs batted in, as Cleveland used a six-run third inning to top Seattle, 9-6, in the second of three games with the Mariners.

Jhonny Peralta had two hits and two RBI, while Casey Blake and Jamey Carroll each added two hits and batted in a run for the Indians, who snapped a 10-game road losing streak. Cleveland had 12 hits, seven of which were doubles.

Jeremy Sowers (1-5) allowed four runs on five hits in six innings of work to pick up his first win since May 24 of last season. Masa Kobayashi gave up two runs in the ninth inning, but held on as Cleveland won its fifth of six.

Miguel Batista (4-11) was touched for eight runs on seven hits in just two- plus innings, and failed to get out of the third inning for the second straight start.

Ichiro Suzuki and Raul Ibanez each homered, while Jose Vidro doubled and drove in two runs for the Mariners, who had won two in a row.

Cleveland jumped on top with a two-out rally in the first inning. Ben Francisco flied into a fielder's choice that left him on first base with two outs. After he went to second on a wild pitch, Francisco scored on Peralta's single to right.

Choo followed with his fourth homer of the season, to right field, for a 3-0 Indians lead.

Vidro's RBI double in the second got one run back for the Mariners, but Cleveland batted around and surged ahead in the third.

After Carroll began the inning with a single, Francisco, Peralta and Choo smacked consecutive RBI doubles. Blake followed with a single to chase home Choo, and advanced to second on the throw to the plate. The hit also chased Batista from the game.

Ryan Rowland-Smith came in and got Andy Marte to line out to center, but Willie Bloomquist's throwing error allowed Blake to dash across the plate. The bases were empty at that point, but a Franklin Gutierrez double and Grady Sizemore walk put a couple runners on with two outs for Carroll.

Carroll's double plated Gutierrez, and while Francisco struck out with two runners in scoring position, Cleveland had taken a 9-1 lead.

Ibanez hit a solo homer in the home third, and the Mariners scored twice in the sixth -- on a Vidro ground out and wild pitch.

Ichiro Suzuki made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth with his two- out, two-run homer off Kobayashi. Bloomquist followed with a single, but Ibanez grounded out to end the game.

Game Notes

Cleveland's 10-game road losing streak was its longest since June 21-July 12 of 1991, when the club lost a record 12 in a row away from home...Sizemore went 0-for-2, but walked four times...Ibanez's homer was his 13th of the season...Cleveland improved to just 16-32 in road games.