Pineiro's arm beats Indians
The 27-year-old Seattle pitcher out-dueled left-hander Cliff Lee.
SEATTLE (AP) -- The Cleveland Indians gave all the credit to Joel Pineiro.
"He was on tonight, he really was," manager Eric Wedge said. "He maybe had one or two pitches that were up all night long."
Pineiro pitched eight innings for his second straight victory and the Seattle Mariners snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Indians Saturday night.
Pineiro (4-2) allowed only four hits against the Indians, who came into the game leading the majors with an average of 6.6 runs per game and batting .311. The four hits equaled Cleveland's season low.
In a groove
"It was just one of those days," Pineiro said. "Things are going my way right now."
The 27-year-old Pineiro outpitched left-hander Cliff Lee (2-3), who was 5-0 in his career against Seattle, including a win over the Mariners April 11 in Cleveland. Pineiro retired 17 straight before Casey Blake singled to lead off the eighth inning. He had six strikeouts and no walks.
"He was locating the ball in and out and changing speed," said Blake, who had two of Cleveland's hits. "He had command of all his pitches. Any time a pitcher does that, it's hard to get many good swings off him."
J.J. Putz pitched the ninth for his third save in four opportunities.
Pineiro was taken out of the game after making 100 pitches, 69 for strikes. He said he would have liked to have had a complete game.
"But I have no complaints," he said.
Mariners manager Mike Hargrove was ejected by home plate umpire Jim Reynolds in the third inning for arguing balls and strikes while Pineiro was pitching to Jason Michaels.
"I didn't argue very long," said Hargrove.
Another ejection
Reynolds also ejected Mariners first-base coach Mike Goff after Richie Sexson's check-swing strikeout to end the seventh. Goff was upset Reynolds asked the third-base umpire for help on the call instead of the first-base umpire with the right-handed Sexson at the plate.
The Mariners trailed 1-0 after Grady Sizemore's leadoff home run to start the game.
Pineiro said he didn't get upset with himself by allowing the homer.
"It was just a pitch that I hung," he said. "I said to myself, 'Relax.' That's where maturity took over."
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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