Ichiro Slugs for Shocking Win Against Yankees

Ichiro Suzuki hit a two-out, two-run homer off New York closer Mariano Rivera and the Seattle Mariners stunned the Yankees 3-2 on Friday night.

Pinch-hitter Mike Sweeney kept the ninth inning alive with a two-out double to deep right-center field. Suzuki then jumped on the first pitch from Rivera for his 10th homer of the season and second straight day with a game-winning hit. Suzuki had the winning hit in the 14th inning of Seattle’s 4-3 win over Chicago. It was Suzuki’s third career hit off the Yankees’ closer. It was Rivera’s second blown save of the season, having allowed a two-run homer to Boston’s Jason Bay on April 24.

Suzuki’s homer made a winner out of Seattle ace Felix Hernandez, who pitched a seven-hitter.

Suzuki’s homer was a stunning turn after Rivera (3-3) overpowered Jack Hannahan and Mike Carp, striking out the pair to open the ninth for his 999th and 1,000th career strikeouts. Sweeney then sliced Rivera’s pitch over the head of right-fielder Nick Swisher to keep the inning alive before Suzuki’s game-winner.

After being chased into center field by his teammates after Thursday’s game-winning hit, Suzuki slowly trotted to the plate and was mobbed by them.

It was only the second time since June that Rivera has given up a run.

The night became a surprise victory for Hernandez (16-5), who bolstered his resume in the AL Cy Young award race by beating the best team in the American League. Hernandez tossed his second complete game of the season, throwing just 104 pitches and lowering his ERA in September to a minuscule 0.58.

Rivera’s blown save also overshadowed a solid outing by Yankees’ starter A.J. Burnett. The Yankees needed to see Burnett regain some of the command he had earlier in the season when he built a 10-4 record over his first 20 starts, and not the wildly inconsistent performances of the last six weeks where Burnett was 1-5 with an ERA of 6.14.

Burnett gave up seven hits and struck out six, raising his season total to 173. He also walked three and hit a batter.

Burnett was also helped by a pair of key pick off moves to get Suzuki. Suzuki led off the third with a single, but was immediately nabbed at first when he slipped trying to dive back to the bag. That out was magnified as Franklin Gutierrez followed with a double that likely would have scored Suzuki. Gutierrez later scored on Jose Lopez’s single, his career-high 90th RBI of the season.

Then in the seventh, Suzuki reached on an infield single with one out, but was picked off again. Replays appeared to show Suzuki sliding his hand back on the bag before Mark Teixeira got the tag applied. Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu came out and gave one of his most animated arguments of the year with first base umpire Mike Reilly.

New York only got to Hernandez twice, capitalizing on the few times the Mariners’ young ace missing high in the strike zone.

Johnny Damon had two doubles and a single in his first three at-bats, and scored the go ahead run in the sixth. After lining a double past the diving attempt of Hannahan, Damon advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on Teixeira’s fly ball to deep left field.

Damon’s double in the first also moved Derek Jeter to third, and Jeter later scored on Alex Rodriguez’s line drive to center, beating Gutierrez’s throw to the plate.

NOTES: Wakamatsu said before the game that the Mariners may consider throwing Hernandez on four days rest in the season finale on Oct. 4 vs. Texas. … Yankees LHP Andy Pettitte threw a full bullpen session and expects to start Monday night against the AL West leading Angels. Pettitte was scratched from his last start with fatigue in his pitching shoulder.

9/19/2009 1:24 AM TIM BOOTH, AP Sports Writer SEATTLE