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Mariners spoil Pettitte's return

EVEN KEVIN Millwood was caught up in Andy Pettitte's return to the big leagues. Still, he was happy to play the spoiler.

Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte allowed five runs, three of them earned, and eight hits in five innings. (Seth Wenig/AP Photo)
Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte allowed five runs, three of them earned, and eight hits in five innings. (Seth Wenig/AP Photo)Read more

EVEN KEVIN Millwood was caught up in Andy Pettitte's return to the big leagues. Still, he was happy to play the spoiler.

Millwood pitched three-hit ball for seven innings and Casper Wells and Justin Smoak each hit a two-run homer, lifting the visiting Seattle Mariners past Pettitte and the New York Yankees, 6-2, Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.

"I was watching him," Millwood said of Pettitte, who hadn't pitched since retiring after the 2010 season. "I think everybody was kind of curious."

Millwood (1-4) almost missed out on the 2011 season, too, but not by choice. The former Phillie spent much of the year in the minors with the Yankees and Red Sox before joining the Colorado rotation in August. He signed with Seattle in the offseason.

He was winless in six starts this year, but the 37-year-old righthander kept the Yankees guessing Sunday. He got his 2,000th career strikeout and was helped by three doubleplays.

The Yankees tried to prevent their old pal Pettitte from taking the loss with a rally in the eighth against four Seattle relievers. Robinson Cano was walked with two outs by Charlie Furbush with the bases loaded to make it 4-2. Mark Teixeira, though, struck out to end the inning.

The lovefest for Pettitte (0-1) began when the lefty appeared with several players in videos welcoming fans to Yankee Stadium after batting practice. The cheers grew as he strolled out to the bullpen for warmups and fans rose for a standing ovation when the five-time World Series champion followed his teammates onto the field for the first inning.

"I just cannot believe how comfortable this is for me," Pettitte said. "I don't know how to explain it."

Yankee Stadium got awful quiet, though, when Wells homered in the sixth to give Seattle a 4-1 lead with his first of the season, an opposite-field drive off the netting on the rightfield pole. Smoak homered for Seattle's first hit with two outs in the fourth.

A big Yankees fan growing up, Wells thought facing Pettitte, his sister's favorite pitcher, made the day even more special.

"Facing Andy Pettitte, it's a lot of things coming true, so it's pretty special," said Wells, who grew up in Schenectady, N.Y.

In other games * 

At Arlington, Texas, Nelson Cruz hit his third career grand slam, Josh Hamilton drove in three runs and the Texas Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels, 13-6, to hand Jered Weaver (5-1) his first loss.

* At Baltimore, Elliot Johnson and Ben Zobrist homered, Carlos Pena ended an extended slump with two doubles and two RBI, and Tampa Bay held on to beat the Orioles, 9-8. James Shields improved to 6-1 despite giving up gave up six runs, four earned, 6 1/3 innings.

* At Oakland, Justin Verlander (4-1) struck out eight in seven innings to win his fourth straight decision as Detroit beat the Athletics, 3-1.

* At Boston, Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered during a six-run seventh inning and drove in five runs to lead the Red Sox past Cleveland, 12-1.

* At Chicago, Jeff Francoeur hit his first homer of the season and pinch-hitter Johnny Giavotella had a two-run double to lead Kansas City over the White Sox, 9-1.

* At Minneapolis, Scott Diamond pitched seven shutout innings, Brian Dozier hit his first career homer and the Minnesota Twins held on to beat Toronto, 4-3.