Mariners score go-ahead run on unusual play, best Royals 4-3

Mariners score go-ahead run on unusual play, best Royals 4-3

Kansas City Royals' Mike Aviles beats the tag by Seattle Mariners shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt to steal second during the fifth inning.

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Story Published: Jul 13, 2008 at 3:12 PM PDT

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 11:05 PM PDT

By DOUG TUCKER, AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Adrian Beltre scored the go-ahead run on an error in the ninth, enabling the Seattle Mariners to close out a disappointing first half of the season with a 4-3 victory over Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

Beltre reached base leading off the ninth against All-Star Joakim Soria when his popup to shallow center field tipped off the glove of shortstop Mike Aviles for a double.


He went to third on a sacrifice bunt, but then was caught between third and home when Willie Bloomquist grounded back to Soria.

Soria threw back to catcher John Buck and Beltre was trapped in a rundown, but a bad throw by Buck went over the third baseman's head. Beltre dashed home and Bloomquist sped into second.

The run was unearned off Soria, the Royals' lone All-Star, who fell to 1-2. Sean Green (2-2) got the win and Brandon Morrow got the final two outs for his ninth save in 11 chances.

The Mariners won for the second time in eight games and end the first half at 37-58, the worst record in the American League. The Royals go into the All-Star break at 43-53, an improvement on their 38-50 mark last season.

A day after David DeJesus hit a game-winning homer off Morrow with two outs in the ninth, Morrow got his revenge, getting DeJesus to fly out to left to end the game.

Royals starter Kyle Davies, looking for his first win in five starts, had a 2-1 lead with two out in the seventh but surrendered a single to Bloomquist. Rookie catcher Jeff Clement, breaking an 0-for-15 slide that had dropped his average to .159, drove a 3-2 pitch over the fence to put Seattle on top 3-2. It was Clement's fifth of the year.

Ross Gload and Buck singled leading off the bottom of the seventh and were sacrificed up a base before Aviles tied the game with an RBI ground out.

Aviles went 3-for-4 with two RBIs for Kansas City.

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