Batista struggles as Orioles beat Mariners, 6-4

BALTIMORE -- Luke Scott went 3-for-3 with two RBIs, and the Baltimore Orioles received solid contributions from several other newcomers Saturday night in a 6-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

MMatt Albers (1-0) pitched 1 2-3 innings of one-hit relief and George Sherrill worked the ninth for his third save in three tries. Albers and Scott were both obtained from Houston in the December trade that sent Miguel Tejada to the Astros, and Sherrill came from the Mariners in the February swap for Erik Bedard.

Adam Jones, also part of the Bedard trade, hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh to give Baltimore a 6-4 lead.

Two holdovers from years past played key roles as well. Melvin Mora had three hits and Kevin Millar doubled, walked three times and scored three runs for the Orioles, who are off to a 3-1 start despite being picked by many to finish last in the AL East. Baltimore is 2-0 against Seattle after going 2-7 against the Mariners in 2007.

Orioles starter Adam Loewen allowed four runs, four hits and three walks in 4 2-3 innings. The left-hander had a screw inserted into his elbow last June and was pitching in the regular season for the first time since May 1. He was 1-4 with a 7.56 ERA in spring training and missed a start with shoulder tendinitis.

Jose Vidro and Jose Lopez hit two-run homers for the Mariners, who led 2-0 in the second inning and 4-2 in the fifth. Seattle pitchers yielded nine walks and the Mariners made four errors.

Baltimore took the lead with a three-run fifth inning against Miguel Batista (0-1). Mora hit a one-out single before Batista issued three straight walks to force in a run. Scott followed with an RBI single and Ramon Hernandez added a sacrifice fly to make it 5-4.

Vidro put the Mariners up 2-0 in the second inning with his second homer, a low liner that sliced inside the left-field foul pole. The Orioles tied it in the fourth when Scott hit an RBI double and scored on an error by shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt.

Lopez homered to put Seattle up 4-2 in the fifth.

Notes: Vidro has at least one hit in 14 of his last 16 games against Baltimore. ... Brian Roberts walked twice and leads the AL with 7. He also stole two bases. ... Bedard will make his first start against his former team Sunday. ... Seattle's Richie Sexson went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.