Top > Sport > 2004 > September > 2004-09-23

M`s play the hits: Ibanez, Ichiro erupt

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Raul Ibanez tied an American League record with six hits and Ichiro Suzuki had four more singles to pace the Seattle Mariners` 24-hit outburst in a 16-6 rout of the Anaheim Angels on Wednesday night.

The Angels remained 2? games behind Oakland in the AL West, but dropped to third in the wild-card race -- 6? games behind Boston and a half-game back of Texas. The Rangers beat the Athletics 5-3 Wednesday.

Ibanez went 6-for-6 with a career-high five RBIs a night after Suzuki went 5-for-5 in Seattle`s 7-3 victory over the Angels, who lost their second straight three-game series.

Ibanez`s six hits tied the AL record for a nine-inning game, held by many, last by accomplished by Cleveland`s Omar Vizquel against the New York Yankees on Aug. 31.

Suzuki set a Seattle record with nine hits in two games. He now has 247 hits and is 10 from tying George Sisler`s 84-year-old major league record with 10 games remaining.

The Mariners set a club record with 21 singles -- six of them by Ibanez. Their 24 hits were the most given up by the Angels this season as were their 16 runs.

Gil Meche (6-6) gave up six runs on seven hits in 5 2-3 innings. He struck out four and walked three for just his second victory this month.

Ibanez had a pair of two-run singles, his second one coming with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth inning that extended Seattle`s lead to 13-3.

The Mariners scored four runs in the sixth, including a sacrifice fly by Dan Wilson and Suzuki`s RBI single.

Seattle scored six runs in the fourth to chase Bartolo Colon (16-12). Ibanez had a two-run single, Wilson and Jolbert Cabrera had RBI singles, Randy Winn hit a sacrifice fly and Bret Boone had a two-out RBI double for a 7-1 lead.

Colon gave up seven runs on 10 hits, walked three and struck out none in 3 2-3 innings, equaling his shortest start of the season. He had won his previous three starts.

Troy Glaus and Vladimir Guerrero, who was back in the lineup after getting hit in the helmet by a pitch Tuesday night, had solo homers for the Angels, and rookie Dallas McPherson added a three-run shot in the sixth for his first in the majors. All three homers came off Meche.

Notes: Seattle rookie CF Jeremy Reed had three hits, tying his career-best effort Tuesday. ... Suzuki`s leadoff single in the first was his eighth consecutive hit, tying a club record shared by five Mariners. The last one to do it was Joey Cora from May 9-10, 1997. ... Despite the loss, the Angels won the season series 13-7.