It’s a Grand Victory for Mariners

Ichiro Suzuki hit a grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning off All-Star closer Mike MacDougal, sending the Seattle Mariners to a 6-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.

Mike Cameron also homered for the Mariners, who scored five runs off MacDougal (3-4) with two outs in the ninth. The win gave them a five-game lead over Oakland in the West Division.

“He throws a 97, 98 mph fastball,” Suzuki said. “I cannot miss that pitch when it comes over the plate.”

With Seattle trailing, 3-1, Edgar Martinez drew a leadoff walk. Ben Davis’ one-out single and Willie Bloomquist’s two-out single loaded the bases. Pinch-hitter John Mabry’s infield single off MacDougal’s right leg made the score 3-2.

Suzuki then hit an 0-1 pitch over the wall in right-center for the first slam of his career and ninth homer of the season.

“When he connected, I knew it was gone. I tried to get it to the outside corner, but it just didn’t get there,” said MacDougal, who blew his sixth save in 30 chances. The rookie had converted 10 opportunities in row.

Arthur Rhodes pitched a scoreless eighth (2-1) for the win. Shigetoshi Hasegawa got three outs for his sixth save in six chances.

Aaron Guiel and Angel Berroa homered for the Central Division-leading Royals, who had their four-game winning streak end and lost for only the fourth time in 14 games.

Royal starter Jeremy Affeldt held Seattle in check until leaving with an injury in the sixth inning. Affeldt, who has a history of blister problems on the middle finger of his pitching hand, departed after retiring Cameron leading off the sixth.

The Royals took the left-hander out as a precaution when they noted the early signs of a blister appearing underneath the nail. It is in a different spot from the previous blisters, and he is not expected to miss his next start.

All-Star second baseman Bret Boone had a short night for Seattle. After striking out swinging to end the first, he threw his bat and helmet and was ejected by plate umpire Paul Emmel.

Boone apparently was upset at a called strike earlier in the count.