Mariners extend winning streak to four

BOSTON (AP) - The Seattle Mariners' offensive surge had to taper off eventually.

It did slightly Friday night at Boston, though the pitching remained steady as the Mariners won their fourth straight with a 5-4 victory over the Red Sox.

Jason Vargas pitched seven solid innings and got his first victory of the season and the Mariners got timely hits as they rallied from a 4-2 deficit.

"Guys are getting on base and getting hits in key situations. That's the biggest thing," said Justin Smoak, who drove in two runs. "It's all about getting that hit with guys on base. Early on we weren't doing that."

Jack Cust hit an RBI double in the seventh to give Seattle the lead as the Mariners roughed up reliever Bobby Jenks (1-2), the former Prairie American Legion standout who was booed after allowing two runs in the inning and giving up Boston's one-run lead.

Vargas (1-2) gave up eight hits and four runs while striking out four and walking two. It was his longest appearance this season and he got the win for the first time since Aug. 14 at Cleveland.

"He knows how to pitch. He got a lot of our guys out in front with the changeup and then went to the fastball a little bit later," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.

Brandon League picked up his sixth save as the Mariners held the Red Sox hitless after the fourth inning.

Boston starter Daisuke Matsuzaka was pulled in the fifth inning with tightness in his right elbow. Dice-K had already thrown 81 pitches before Ichiro Suzuki led off the fifth with a single.

After scoring 24 runs in a three-game sweep at Detroit, the Mariners opened the weekend series at Boston with a much more efficient offense.

"We beat people up pretty good in Detroit and scored a few runs before we left," Vargas said. "We've just been playing good baseball and getting the job done when it needs to be done."