Rodriguez also made a great play to retire Lopez for the final out of the sixth. He charged a slow roller up the line and made a strong throw to nip Lopez at first as the crowd roared.

“He threw the ball so well today,” Rodriguez said. “It was exciting. I don’t get to appreciate how well his ball moves from where I play. I’m just consumed with the thought that I’m going to be busy.”

Ichiro Suzuki hit a grounder off Wang’s left shin in the fourth but the right-hander threw him out at first. The trainer came out to check on him but Wang was fine.

Suzuki led off the seventh with a deep drive into the gap, but left fielder Hideki Matsui caught it on the run.

“He wasn’t leaving a whole lot over the middle of the plate,” said Willie Bloomquist, who went 0-for-3 against Wang. “It’s deceptive because when you’re up there it looks like it’s going to be down the heart of the plate but then that late movement kind of gets in on you, or jams you a little bit, or makes you hit it off the end.”

New York broke open the game in the sixth when Jeff Weaver (0-5) started struggling with his control. Weaver, a former Yankee, hit Matsui with a pitch with the bases loaded and also walked Melky Cabrera to force in another run.

Posada also had a run-scoring single and Jeter a two-run double in the five-run inning.

Weaver, who recorded just one out in his previous start, went 5 2-3 innings against the Yankees, allowing six runs and nine hits. He has given up 29 runs and 40 hits in 17 innings over five starts this season.

“He threw the ball well,” said Mariners manager Mike Hargrove, who added Weaver will take his next turn in the rotation. “If he throws like that the rest of the year we’re going to be all right.”

Notes: Rodriguez was hit on his left elbow by a pitch in the seventh inning. He said he hopes he’ll be able to play Sunday. ... Yankees CF Johnny Damon didn’t play after his right calf cramped up during his last at-bat in Seattle’s 15-11 win Friday night. He is day to day. ... Yankees RHP Darrell Rasner was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and RHP Colter Bean was sent down. Rasner will start against the Mariners on Sunday. ... Mariners 3B Adrian Beltre and DH Jose Vidro got the day off.

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