Mariners' Washburn picks up first victory since June 9

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Jarrod Washburn is feeling much better -- especially after getting his first win in seven weeks.

Washburn (5-10), who has been battling bursitis in his left knee, won for the first time in eight starts and Ben Broussard homered against his former team, leading the Seattle Mariners over the Cleveland Indians 3-1 on Saturday night.

"I had some minor mechanical issues that were caused by my knee," Washburn said. "I got a shot a couple weeks ago. I should have got it a couple of months ago. I feel a lot better."

Raul Ibanez also homered for the Mariners, who won for the sixth time in nine games and are 3½ games behind first-place Oakland in the AL West. Cleveland lost for the 12th time in 17 games and is 17-30 since June 4.

Washburn allowed one run and five hits over 6 1/3 innings. The left-hander had gone 0-3 since a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on June 9.

"My fastball was working," he said. "I had good command of it. My off-speed pitches, other than to [Travis] Hafner, did not come into play."

Washburn walked one and struck out five, including Hafner twice. He improved to 1-2 this season and 7-6 in his career against Cleveland.

"He was aggressive and got ahead in the count all night," Indians first baseman Victor Martinez said. "It's very difficult to hit when you are behind all the time. You just try to make something happen and are not as confident."

Washburn left with runners on second and third and one out in the seventh.

Rookie right-hander Mark Lowe came on and got Jhonny Peralta to pop weakly to first base. Pinch-hitter Todd Hollandsworth was intentionally walked, so Indians manager Eric Wedge sent up another pinch hitter -- Shin-Soo Choo, whose first career homer won Friday night's game 1-0.

But the rookie fouled out to end the threat.

"I figured they might walk Holly, so I had Choo ready," Wedge said. "He went up there aggressive, but the guy [Lowe] just made good pitches on him."

Broussard opened the ninth with his 14th homer, and first for Seattle, off Brian Sikorski.

"I was a little nervous at first," Broussard said about facing the Indians for the first time since being traded for Choo on Wednesday. "It felt strange. When the Indians were hitting, I would find myself pulling for a guy. Then I remembered we had to get him out. It was bizarre."

Lowe struck out the side in the eighth and has not allowed a run in the first eight outings of his career, spanning 10 innings.

"Lowe looked pretty special," Wedge said. "He was throwing a sinker at 97. He was tough."

J.J. Putz pitched the ninth for his 21st save in 25 chances.

Seattle took a 1-0 lead in the third off Jake Westbrook (7-7). Yuniesky Betancourt doubled, took third on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout by Willie Bloomquist.

Jason Michaels' RBI single in the bottom half tied it at 1.

Ibanez put the Mariners back in front with his 22nd homer, a 424-foot shot to center leading off the fourth.

"It was a decent pitch to Ibanez, maybe caught a little bit of the plate, but it was sinking down and he got it," Westbrook said. "He's a good hitter."

Westbrook allowed two runs and six hits over eight innings, walking two and striking out three. The right-hander was helped by three diving catches in the outfield.

Michaels robbed Suzuki in left to open the game. One out later, center fielder Grady Sizemore took a hit away from Adrian Beltre with a sliding catch. With one on and one out in the fifth, Suzuki lined a shot over Sizemore's head, but he raced back and caught it with a lunge.

"Grady laid out for that ball with his back to the plate," Wedge said. "That's one of the better catches I've seen this year."

Game notes
Westbrook fell to 5-4 with a 7.30 ERA in eight starts and 10 career outings against Seattle, his worst ERA against any AL team. ... Suzuki went 1-for-4 and is hitting .357 (75-for-210) in his career against Cleveland. ... Cleveland C Kelly Shoppach's third-inning double snapped an 0-for-10 slide. ... Before the game, Seattle activated RHP Sean Green (back spasms) and put RHP Rafael Soriano (right shoulder fatigue) on the disabled list.