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Originally published September 9, 2007 at 12:00 AM | Page modified September 9, 2007 at 5:56 PM

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Mariners score 13 runs in first 4 innings against Tigers and cruise to 14-7 win

Ichiro Suzuki scored in each of the first four innings and the Seattle Mariners busted out of a long slump, beating the Detroit Tigers 14-7...

AP Sports Writer

DETROIT — Ichiro Suzuki scored in each of the first four innings and the Seattle Mariners busted out of a long slump, beating the Detroit Tigers 14-7 on Sunday for only their second victory in 15 games.

Raul Ibanez hit a three-run homer, Adrian Beltre had four RBIs and Jose Guillen drove in three runs for Seattle, which began the day five games behind the New York Yankees in the AL wild-card race.

Felix Hernandez (12-7) earned the win despite giving up seven runs — six earned — and 10 hits with three walks over five-plus innings.

The Tigers, who entered three games behind the Yankees, had won four straight for the first time since mid-July.

Detroit's loss put a damper on Curtis Granderson's latest feat.

The speedy center fielder joined Willie Mays and Frank "Wildfire" Schulte as the only players in major league history with 20 stolen bases, 20 homers, 20 triples and 20 doubles in a season.

Granderson stole his 20th base in the first inning and received a rousing standing ovation — from fans in the stands and his teammates in the dugout. Schulte was the first to accomplish the feat in 1911 while playing for the Chicago Cubs, and Mays did it in 1957 with the New York Giants.

Granderson hit his 20th homer Friday in the series opener, becoming the sixth player since 1900 in the 20-20-20 club and the first since Kansas City's George Brett in 1979.

His 21st home run in the second inning pulled Detroit within a run, then the Mariners took control with seven runs over the next two innings to take a 13-5 lead.

Jeremy Bonderman (11-9) gave up six runs and seven hits in 1 1-3 innings — matching the shortest outing of his five-year career. Bonderman was 10-1 after beating Seattle on July 13, but he is 1-7 since and has given up at least six earned runs in five of his past nine starts.

After manager Jim Leyland replaced Bonderman with Jason Grilli, things didn't go much better for the Tigers. Grilli allowed three runs in 1 1-3 innings.

The Mariners didn't necessarily need it in the lopsided game, but shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt made some jaw-dropping plays in the field.

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Betancourt fielded a chopper up the middle, stepped on second base and flipped the ball to first for a double play with two on and none out in the sixth inning.

With two runners in scoring position in the fourth, Betancourt robbed Magglio Ordonez of at least one RBI when he got to a sharp grounder up the middle, whirled and fired a throw to first.

Notes:@ Ordonez had three RBIs, giving him 125 for the season. ... Hernandez is 6-1 since he had a .500 record on July 22. ... The Mariners averaged only 3.43 runs per game during their recent slump.

Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company

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