Griffey, Halama Power Mariners

John Halama’s game plan was simple--throw strikes and curveballs to the Cleveland Indians. The rookie stuck to it, and down went the Indians.

Halama took a shutout into the eighth inning and Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 25th homer Friday night as the Seattle Mariners ended Cleveland’s six-game winning streak with a 9-4 victory.

Halama, once known simply as “the player to be determined” in a trade for Randy Johnson, held the Indians without a hit until the fifth when Manny Ramirez led off with a sharp single to left.

“I wasn’t going to survive if I just went out there with a fastball,” said Halama, whose sweeping curve froze more than one of the Indians. “I was able to keep them off-stride, and that was the key to my game.”

Griffey went three for four and hit his 375th homer, a 464-footer in the eighth, to move past Rocky Colavito into sole possession of 42nd place on the all-time list.

Butch Huskey followed Griffey’s shot with his 13th this season to make the score 9-4. Griffey also had a run-scoring single. Alex Rodriguez drove in three runs.

The Indians, who hit into three double plays, entered the game averaging 7.6 runs per game during their winning streak and were in danger of being shut out for the first time all year before Jacob Cruz hit a three-run homer in the eighth.

“Those double plays really stopped us but give Halama credit,” Indian Manager Mike Hargrove said. “He kept us off balance.”

Halama (5-2), used mostly in long relief by the Mariners, was making his fifth start of the season.

He gave up nine hits and didn’t walk a batter for the first time this year.