Mateo wins first five career decisions

SEATTLE (AP) -- Julio Mateo certainly doesn't think of himself as a 300-game winner, nor does Jolbert Cabrera see himself slugging 500 homers.

They did enough, though, to put the Seattle Mariners in the win column.

Mateo set a Seattle record by winning his first five career decisions and Cabrera hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning, leading the Mariners over the San Diego Padres 7-3 Saturday night.

"I'm a line-drive hitter," Cabrera said through a broken smile. "I was just being aggressive. Yesterday, I had a couple of chances with men on base. I was thinking too much."

Randy Winn had three hits, including a two-run homer in the seventh for Seattle. Cabrera tripled in the eighth and scored on Dan Wilson's RBI double. Ichiro Suzuki had a double and two singles in Seattle's 13-hit attack.

"I like those multirun homers," Mariners manager Bob Melvin said. "It's a good feeling when it's on our side."

Mateo (1-0) needed 91 career appearances -- 29 this season -- over three seasons to improve to 5-0 for his career. He pitched 2 1-3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with three strikeouts and a walk.

"That's my job when I come from the bullpen, try to throw strikes and try to get out of a jam," Mateo said.

He was jokingly asked if he can win 300 games.

"Maybe by 2061 or 2060, about 50 years. Only 295 to go," Mateo said.

Seattle snapped a four-game losing streak but there were some uneasy moments for Mariners fans. The Padres loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, just after Phil Nevin pulled San Diego to 4-3 with a two-run shot off Mateo.

Jay Payton then singled, chasing Mateo for left-hander Mike Myers. He walked Ryan Klesko and Jeff Cirillo. Melvin turned to Shigetoshi Hasegawa, who got Miguel Ojeda on a called third strike.

"We had a lot of chances and couldn't get it done tonight," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said.

Seattle led 4-1 after Cabrera drove an 0-1 pitch by Padres starter Ismael Valdez (6-4) into the crowd above the left-field scoreboard. Rich Aurilia and Scott Spiezio were on base after each hit one-out singles.

"It came at a very good time. It feels good to hit a home run," Cabrera said.

The shot came right after the Mariners missed an opportunity to break a 1-1 tie. Edgar Martinez, running from second, was nailed at the plate by San Diego's Brian Giles when he tried to score on Spiezio's single to right.

Valdez pitched 5 2-3 innings, giving up four runs on eight hits with two walks and one strikeout.

The Mariners started Ron Villone on the mound because Jamie Moyer was used in relief during Thursday's 18-inning loss at Texas, throwing off the rotation for the weekend series against San Diego.

"I battled," Villone said. "I was sick and tired of getting into situations. ... At the least, I was effectively wild. I didn't have command of much. Guys made plays. We got some timely plays, timely hitting and we got some power."

Before the game Melvin said he'd be thrilled to get six innings from Villone, who went 6-6 with a 4.13 ERA in 19 starts last season with Houston. He lasted 4 1-3 innings, allowing one run on four hits with four walks.

"Villone did a nice job tonight," Melvin said. "In a situation where our bullpen is beat up, we needed him to go five."

San Diego went ahead 1-0 in the third after Khalil Greene led off with a ground-rule double and scored on a wild pitch by Villone.

The Mariners tied it in their half of the third, when Martinez hit an RBI single to center with two outs. Suzuki and Winn started the offense, each hitting one-out infield singles.

The Padres finished 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position. They had runners reach base in every inning, stranding 12.

"We were probably 0-for-I don't know what with runners in scoring position," Payton said. "When you don't hit, you don't give yourself a fat chance to score runs, and we didn't get it done."

Game notes
Winn's homer came off RHP Rod Beck. ... Cirillo, who spent the last two seasons in Seattle, was greeted by a mix of cheers and boos when he pinch-hit in the seventh. ... Villone threw 84 pitches, half of them strikes. ... San Diego is 5-2 after a six-game losing streak June 12-18. ... Seattle has 54 homers this season, ranking last in the AL. Nevin's homer boosted San Diego's total to 46, last in the NL.