Mariners improve to 9-2 in interleague play, Cruz hits 20th home run

 

SEATTLE - Nelson Cruz hit his 20th home run of the season, Robinson Cano had three hits including an RBI single and the Seattle Mariners beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 on Tuesday night.

Cruz and Cano led Seattle's offense, which had 12 hits. Cano's two-out single in the fifth scored Franklin Gutierrez and gave Cruz the opportunity for his two-run homer into the second deck in left field that gave Seattle a 5-0 lead.

Cruz became the only current player with at least 20 home runs in every season since 2009. David Ortiz and Brian McCann can also reach that mark this season.

Seattle starter Hisashi Iwakuma (7-6) took a shutout into the seventh inning before giving up a pair of runs. Iwakuma has pitched into the seventh in six of his past seven starts.

Jon Niese (6-6) allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings.