Major League Baseball

A-Rod, Yanks stop skids; Tanaka tops Iwakuma and M's, 4-3

Published Apr. 17, 2016 6:46 p.m. ET

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NEW YORK (AP) Alex Rodriguez, dropped three spots to sixth in the batting order, hit a two-run homer that snapped his hitless skid and sent the New York Yankees past the Seattle Mariners 4-3 on Sunday, ending their four-game losing streak.

Masahiro Tanaka topped old pal Hisashi Iwakuma in the first major league pitching matchup of former Japanese teammates, a game that was broadcast live on television back home - at 2 a.m. in Tokyo.

Brett Gardner had three hits, including an RBI double, and scored the tiebreaking run on a wild pitch by Iwakuma (0-2) in the fifth inning. Still, the Yankees continued to struggle at the plate in clutch situations, finishing the three-game series 1 for 35 with runners in scoring position.

They managed to avoid a sweep thanks in large part to Tanaka (1-0), who yielded three runs - two earned - and six hits in seven efficient innings. He struck out six and walked none, improving to 4-0 in four career starts against Seattle.

Tanaka worked out of a bases-loaded jam in a 24-pitch first inning, when Kyle Seager drove in a run with a groundout. The right-hander needed only 93 pitches to get through seven.

Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller combined to strike out all six batters they faced, with Miller working the ninth for his third save.

Iwakuma, teammates with Tanaka from 2007-11 with Rakuten in Japan, was charged with four runs and eight hits in seven innings.

Steve Clevenger had an RBI single for the Mariners, who had won three straight following a five-game slide. Nori Aoki tripled and scored on Seth Smith's single.

Rodriguez homered on the first pitch he saw after Iwakuma plunked Brian McCann in the second inning. The 40-year-old designated hitter was without a hit in his previous 19 at-bats, two shy of matching the longest drought of his career.

The three-time MVP sent an 86 mph fastball into the lower-deck seats in left field. It was the 689th home run for Rodriguez, who ranks fourth on the career list.

A season after hitting 33 home runs, A-Rod began the day batting .100 (3 for 30) with one homer and two RBIs.

Carlos Beltran, off to an excellent start this season, was moved up two spots to No. 3 in the Yankees' lineup.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Mariners: Rookie manager Scott Servais said he would be ''careful'' about using reliever Joaquin Benoit again after he pitched Saturday for the first time since April 8. The setup man, who tossed a scoreless eighth inning, had been sidelined with tightness in his back and shoulder. ''I'd like to give him some down time,'' Servais said. ''We'll see how the game plays out.'' Benoit was not used. ... Clevenger started behind the plate, giving regular catcher Chris Iannetta a rest.

Yankees: McCann (bruised left toe) was back in the starting lineup at catcher after entering as a pinch hitter Saturday. He was hit by a pitch his first time up but tossed aside his elbow guard and trotted to first base with no problem.

UP NEXT

Mariners: After a day off Monday, the Mariners begin a three-game series in Cleveland on Tuesday night. LHP Wade Miley (0-1, 8.25 ERA) faces Indians RHP Carlos Carrasco (1-0, 3.46).

Yankees: New York also is off Monday before Oakland arrives for the start of a three-game series Tuesday night. RHP Michael Pineda (1-1, 6.55 ERA) pitches for the Yankees against LHP Eric Surkamp (0-1, 4.00).