BALTIMORE — Adam Lind broke open a close game with a three-run homer in the sixth inning, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-2 Thursday to complete another successful road series.
Leonys Martin also homered for the Mariners, who took two of three from Baltimore to improve to an AL-best 15-7 in away games. Seattle is 6-0-1 in seven road series.
Nathan Karns (4-1) allowed one run and four hits in five innings, striking out five and walking none. The right-hander is unbeaten in seven starts since April 9.
Pedro Alvarez and Adam Jones had RBIs for the Orioles, who have dropped three of four following a seven-game winning streak.
The Mariners were nursing a 2-1 lead when Robinson Cano led off the sixth with a double off Tyler Wilson (2-2). After Kyle Seager received an intentional walk, Lind hit an opposite-field drive that barely cleared the left-field wall.
That was enough to provide Seattle with its first series win in Baltimore since Aug. 2-4, 2013. The Mariners are 4-0 this season in the deciding matchup of a three-game set.
The Orioles loaded the bases with one out in the eighth. Jones drove in a run with groundout before Chris Davis hit a fly ball to center.
Martin connected with a man on against Dylan Bundy in the ninth.
The Mariners got a first-inning run on a two-out RBI single by Cruz, who has reached base in 24 consecutive games at Camden Yards.
Alvarez tied it for Baltimore in the third, lining a pitch off the right-field scoreboard for a run-scoring double.
Seattle went up 2-1 in the fifth when Ketel Marte drew a leadoff walk and came home on a two-out single by Seth Smith.
Position change
Mariners: The Mariners travel to Cincinnati for a three-game set this weekend, so Cruz will play RF since there’s no DH. “We need his bat obviously. He’s a big part of our lineup,” manager Scott Servais said. Seattle is 6-8 when Cruz plays RF and 17-8 when he’s the DH.
Orioles: Ryan Flaherty got his first start of the season in RF on Thursday.
Trainer’s room
Orioles: SS J.J. Hardy, out 4 to 6 weeks with a fractured left foot, will travel to Sarasota, Fla., on Friday to begin weight bearing exercises, manager Buck Showalter said. … RHP Yovani Gallardo (shoulder tendinitis) had a throwing session from 120 feet on Thursday. He will throw off a mound Sunday.
Up next
Mariners’ Hisashi Iwakuma (1-4, 4.38 ERA) makes his ninth start of the season in matchup with Cincinnati on Friday night.
