BALTIMORE – As usual, Jamie Moyer turned in an effective performance against the Baltimore Orioles.
Unfortunately for Moyer and the Seattle Mariners, Rodrigo Lopez was even better.
Lopez took a three-hitter into the eighth inning and Melvin Mora and Nick Markakis each had an RBI, leading the Orioles to a 2-0 victory Tuesday night.
The subject of trade talks in the days leading up to Monday’s non-waiver trade deadline, Lopez (8-11) allowed four singles in 7 2-3 innings. The right-hander struck out five, walked none and permitted only one runner past first base.
“If it wasn’t my best, it was one of my best starts of the year,” Lopez said. “It came at the right time. There are two months to go, I would like to finish hard, and this is a good start.”
Lopez started the game with a 6.57 ERA and had allowed a total of 20 hits in his last two outings, but on this night he was brilliant.
“You just try and be patient and do something. He didn’t miss too much with me,” said Seattle’s Ben Broussard, who went 0-for-3 with a strikeout. “It seemed like he was pitching on the corners of both sides of the plate.”
Tim Byrdak got the final out in the eighth and Chris Ray worked a perfect ninth for his 27th save.
Kenji Johjima had two hits for the Mariners (52-54), who were bidding to reach the .500 mark for the first time since July 3.
“Lopez was awfully good. He threw a lot of strikes. He pitched very, very well,” Seattle manager Mike Hargrove said. “It was a good pitching performance by both ball clubs. We just couldn’t get anything going offensively.”
Moyer (6-10) gave up two runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings, walking three and striking out three. The 43-year-old left-hander came in 18-3 lifetime against Baltimore, including 2-0 this season.
“Vintage Jamie. He didn’t give in, he makes you fish,” Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said. “Fortunately, we were able to scratch out a few runs, and it was enough.”
As has often happened this season, Moyer didn’t get enough support from his teammates. The Mariners have been blanked 12 times this season, six times with him as their starter.
“I felt pretty good today. I kept the ball down, made some good pitches,” Moyer said.
Baltimore had surrendered at least 10 hits in each of its seven previous games, but Lopez emphatically ended the streak.
“That was an outing we sorely needed,” Perlozzo said. “It couldn’t have come at a better time.”
The Orioles needed only two batters to take a 1-0 lead in the first. Brian Roberts singled and took second when right fielder Ichiro Suzuki misplayed the ball. Roberts then stole third and scored on a single by Mora.
Seattle didn’t get a man on until the fourth, when Adrian Beltre got a two-out infield single and took second on an errant throw by second baseman Roberts. Raul Ibanez then grounded out.
Baltimore went up 2-0 and chased Moyer in the seventh. Corey Patterson singled with one out and stole second before Fernando Tatis was walked intentionally so Moyer could face the left-handed hitting Markakis, who foiled the strategy with a ground-rule double.
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