Iannetta, Walker lead Mariners to rout of Indians
SEATTLE -- Catcher Chris Iannetta hit two home runs and drove in all of Seattle's runs on a night when Mariners starter Taijuan Walker threw eight shutout innings to beat the Cleveland Indians 5-0 Wednesday.
Iannetta homered in the third and fifth innings before adding an RBI double in the seventh.
Walker (3-6) earned his first win since April 25 after throwing eight innings of scoreless, three-hit ball. He matched his career high with 11 strikeouts and did not issue a walk.
Walker retired the first nine Cleveland hitters and left the game after getting the final nine he faced through the eighth. He threw 110 pitches, 76 for strikes.
Reliever Nick Vincent finished off the shutout with a scoreless ninth, striking out two to give Cleveland 13 strikeouts for the night.
It marked the first time since May 7 that the Indians (32-26) were held scoreless. Cleveland has just nine hits and one run over the past two games of the series.
Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco wasn't bad but suffered his first loss of the season after serving up both of Iannetta's homers. Carrasco (2-1) allowed four runs off five hits over 6 2/3 innings, with one walk and six strikeouts.
The Indians welcomed the return of veteran reliever Joba Chamberlain, who came off the disabled list earlier in the day but allowed a double and a run in his only inning of work.
Iannetta went 3-for-3 with four RBIs in the win, while shortstop Ketel Marte added two singles and two stolen bases. Robinson Cano went 2-for-4 with a double for Seattle (33-26).
Seattle catcher Chris Iannetta homered in each of his first two at-bats Wednesday, putting the Mariners ahead with a two-run shot in the third and a solo homer in the fifth. It marked Iannetta's first multi-homer game since May 2011.
Iannetta's first homer gave the Mariners a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Shortstop Ketel Marte opened the inning with the first hit of the game, a single to center, then Iannetta hit his fifth home run of the season with a fly ball that cleared the glove of left fielder Rajai Davis by a foot or two and landed in the visiting bullpen.
In the fifth, Iannetta went deep again, hitting a 3-2 pitch from Indians starter Carlos Carrasco into the section above the visiting bullpen for a 3-0 Mariners lead. It was Iannetta's fifth home run of the season.
Seattle starter Taijuan Walker retired the first nine Cleveland batters in order before Davis led off the fourth with a single, the Indians' first hit of the game.
NOTES: Cleveland activated RHP Joba Chamberlain from the 15-day disabled list before Wednesday's game. RHP Cody Anderson, who was called up to start Tuesday, was sent back to Triple-A Columbus. ... Seattle SS Ketel Marte (neck spasms) was back in the lineup Wednesday. ... Indians C Yan Gomes underwent an ultrasound after suffering a testicular contusion in Tuesday's game, and manager Terry Francona said there was no major damage. Gomes was not in the lineup Wednesday, but Francona did not rule out the possibility of him being available if the Indians were to need a backup catcher. ... Despite their hot start that has put them atop the American League Central standings, the Indians don't have a player among the top five vote-getters at any position in the latest All-Star Game voting. No Cleveland player is among the top 15 outfielders. The only two Seattle players on the list are 2B Robinson Cano (third) and DH Nelson Cruz (fifth).