Mariners 7, Royals 3
Ichiro Suzuki bolstered his chances at another 200-hit season by going 4-for-5 with a home run as the Seattle Mariners topped the visiting Kansas City Royals 7-3 on Friday.
Ichiro, vying to become the first major leaguer to reach the 200-hit plateau in 11 straight seasons, is 33 shy with 18 games remaining.
The Japanese star was a one-man show Friday, putting the Mariners ahead for good with a solo homer in the third. It was his fifth of the season, and second in as many days - marking the first time Ichiro has homered in back-to-back games since May 24-25, 2007.
Ichiro added a pair of stolen bases, leaving him one shy of reaching 40 steals for the fifth time in his career.
Blake Beavan (4-5) was the beneficiary of Ichiro's big night, ending a five-start winless skid by limiting Kansas City to three runs over 6 1/3 innings.
Royals counterpart Jeff Francis (5-16) was torched for five runs on nine hits over 3 1/3 innings.
Alex Gordon hit his 21st home run of the season for Kansas City, which has dropped three straight.