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A-Rod-less Yanks hold off Mariners

| August 22, 2010 9:00 PM

NEW YORK (AP) - Eduardo Nunez will certainly remember his first big league hit, when he drove in the go-ahead run at Yankee Stadium in place of Yankees star Alex Rodriguez.

He might get a few more chances, too, now that A-Rod's on the disabled list.

Nunez singled in the seventh inning Saturday, breaking open a tie game and helping New York to a 9-5 win over the Seattle Mariners. The rookie had made two brief appearances since getting called up this week, but they were nothing like this, his first start.

"I was so excited. I was so happy," said the beaming 23-year-old infielder, who plans to give the ball he hit to his mom. "I'm the most excited I've been in my life."

The Yankees improved to 11-0 without Rodriguez in the lineup, according to STATS LLC, a record that should please manager Joe Girardi even if it doesn't put him at ease. Rodriguez has been dealing with a strained left calf that finally became too much.

"We're going to play it safe," Girardi said. "He's not any worse than he was before, we're just going to play it safe and know we'll have a player in 15 days."

Ichiro Suzuki hit a pair of homers and Russell Branyan belted one of the longest ever at the new Yankee Stadium, but it wasn't enough for Seattle and starting pitcher Jason Vargas (9-6), who packaged two shaky innings around a string of 15 consecutive outs.

Jorge Posada hit a two-run homer and Robinson Cano added a pair of RBIs against the young left-hander, who allowed seven runs in 6 1/3 innings. Vargas had won three in a row.

Relievers Chad Gaudin, Boone Logan (1-0) and David Robertson shut down Seattle over the final six innings, the only blemish coming in the ninth against Mariano Rivera. The veteran closer still finished up for his 25th save.

SeattleNew York

ab r h bi ab r h bi

ISuzuki rf 5 3 3 2 Jeter ss 5 1 2 1

Figgins 2b 5 0 1 0 Swisher rf 3 0 0 0

Branyn dh 5 1 1 2 Teixeir 1b 3 1 1 1

JoLopz 3b 4 1 2 0 Cano 2b 4 1 2 2

FGtrrz cf 4 0 1 0 Thams dh 4 0 0 0

Ktchm 1b 4 0 3 1 Posada c 3 2 1 2

J.Bard c 3 0 0 0 Kearns lf 3 1 1 0

MSndrs lf 4 0 0 0 Gardnr lf 1 1 1 0

JoWilsn ss 4 0 1 0 Grndrs cf 4 1 1 0

ENunez 3b 3 1 1 1

R.Pena 3b 1 0 0 1

Totals 38 5 12 5 Totals 34 9 10 8

Seattle 202 000 001-5

New York 400 000 32x-9

E_Kotchman (1). DP_New York 1. LOB_Seattle 8, New York 4. 2B_Kotchman (17), Teixeira (29). HR_I.Suzuki 2 (5), Branyan (19), Posada (14). SF_Teixeira.

IP H R ER BB SO

Seattle

J.Vargas L,9-6 6 1/3 8 7 7 0 4

J.Wright 2/3 1 0 0 1 0

B.Sweeney 1 1 2 0 1 0

New York

Vazquez 3 8 4 4 1 2

Gaudin 3 1 0 0 0 3

Logan W,1-0 1 0 0 0 0 0

Robertson H,12 2/3 1 0 0 0 2

Rivera S,25-27 1 1/3 2 1 1 0 1

Vazquez pitched to 1 batter in the 4th.

HBP_by D.Robertson (Jo.Lopez). Balk_J.Vargas.

Umpires_Home, Brian Knight; First, Sam Holbrook; Second, Gerry Davis; Third, Greg Gibson. T_2:54. A_48,158 (50,287).