Ibanez and Safeco Joe Lead Mariners to Win Over the White Sox

Mariner manager Eric Wedge called it the best at bat of the year.  Raul Ibanez said he was just trying to keep fighting.  After falling behind in an 0-2 count, Ibanez stayed alive to hit a home-run on the 13th pitch of his third inning at bat. It was the most pitches a Mariner batter has seen before homering since 1988.  Ibanez' two-run homer led the M's to a 4-2 win over the Chicago White Sox.

The White Sox have lost seven straight games, their longest slide since dropping seven in a row in September 2011.  Joe Saunders pitched six and at third innings, allowing five hits and one run to pick up his fourth win of the year.  Tom Wilhemsen, who has blown the last two saves, pitched the ninth to pick up his 13th save of the year.

The Mariners host the White Sox in game two of their three game series at Safeco Field tonight. Felix Herandez is on the mound for the Mariners tonight going for his seventh win against Jake Peavy of the White Sox.