Story Published: Jul 22, 2009 at 4:18 PM PST
Story Updated: Jul 22, 2009 at 4:18 PM PST
Detroit scored just five runs while being swept in a three-game series at Yankee Stadium last weekend, but matched that total before making their first out against Seattle.
Rookie Rick Porcello (9-6) got the win despite allowing five runs on nine hits and a walk in five innings.
Tigers closer Fernando Rodney allowed the first two batters to reach in the ninth before retiring the next three for his 20th save in 20 tries.
Seattle's Jack Hannahan hit two of the seven home runs in the game. Miguel Cabrera, Placido Polanco also homered for Detroit. Wladimir Balentien and Ryan Langerhans connected for Seattle.
Seattle starter Garrett Olson (3-4) allowed seven runs in 1 1-3 innings.
The Mariners went up 1-0 in the first on Jose Lopez's RBI single, but the Tigers quickly took command with five in the bottom half and three in the second.
Curtis Granderson led off with a single and scored on Polanco's double. Olson walked Cabrera and Marcus Thames to load the bases, and Ordonez gave the Tigers a 5-1 lead with his first grand slam in seven years.
Polanco homered in he second and Ryan Raburn added a two-run triple later in the inning when Seattle center fielder Franklin Gutierrez injured his left elbow and knee while crashing into the right-centerfield scoreboard.
Seattle got a run in the third on Balentien's RBI single and another on Hannahan's solo homer in the fourth.
The Mariners continued their rally, pulling to 8-5 on Langerhans' two-run homer in the fifth and making it a one-run game on Hannahan's second of the game in the sixth. Cabrera, though, restored Detroit's three-run lead with a homer in the bottom of the sixth.
Balentien hit the game's seventh homer to make it 9-7 in the seventh, but Detroit's bullpen was able to hold Seattle scoreless in the final two innings to clinch the win.
