Reed likes his swing, shows it with homer

Jeremy Reed's swing felt too good to be staring at another 0 for 4. So when he stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the eighth Saturday, he would have taken any hit.

This hit was almost two years in the making.

Reed took a 1-1 slider that Detroit's Aquilino Lopez left over the middle and stuck it in the right-field seats for a solo home run. For Reed, once one of the team's top prospects, it marked his first major-league home run since June 28, 2006, and only his second at Safeco Field.

"Hopefully, it's big," said Mariners manager John McLaren, who before the game said Reed would likely be starting two or three times per week. "It was good for him. I know he'll enjoy it tonight having dinner, and so will I."

Reed, who led the Pacific Coast League in hits last season with Class AAA Tacoma, was called up May 19. Since then he's hitting .211, but he's hoping his first hit in three games sets him straight.

"Right now I'm trying to stay with my swing because my swing feels good," Reed said.

Sexson still sitting

First baseman Richie Sexson spent his fourth consecutive game on the bench, with Miguel Cairo again starting at first base. McLaren again downplayed the significance of the move, insisting Cairo's defensive play has earned him the spot for now. The Mariners have not indicated that Sexson has had any injury problems.

As for any timeline about Sexson's return, McLaren said he would treat the situation "day to day."

In the past four games, Cairo has hit 4 for 13. He went 1 for 3 Saturday with a single and a run.

Bullpen stretches scoreless streak

With two innings of hitless relief, the Mariners' bullpen extended its scoreless streak at Safeco Field to 27 innings. Brandon Morrow pitched the eighth and J.J. Putz the ninth, and they combined to strike out four.

"Morrow was electric again, and J.J.'s getting there real good," McLaren said.

In Friday's 7-4 loss to Detroit, the Mariners' bullpen pitched 8-1/3 scoreless innings, only the second time in franchise history the bullpen pitched at least eight scoreless innings in a nine-inning game.

R.A. Dickey handled most of Friday's load, going 5-1/3 innings after taking over for a battered Carlos Silva in the first. McLaren said that as Dickey walked off the field, he said, "Don't worry, I'll be ready to go tomorrow."

"He's a special person," McLaren said. "He just wants to be used every day to help the team win. He's that type of guy."

"Marineros" jerseys

catch on with players

No sooner had Saturday's game ended in a 5-0 victory then some of the Mariners players were talking about again wearing the special "Marineros" jerseys the team put on as a salute to Latin American baseball.

"Why not?" winning pitcher Felix Hernandez said in Spanish. "It gave me luck."

Then he switched to English when asked if players are superstitious.

"Big time," he said.

Designated hitter Jose Vidro, who had two hits in his Marineros jersey, said he doesn't know who makes the call as to what jersey the team wears from day to day. It used to be the starting pitcher would decide.

"We won the game and that's what matters, so if they want to use it tomorrow and the next day and we keep winning, I'll do it, I don't care." Vidro said.

Note

• Detroit manager Jim Leyland was ejected in the sixth inning after arguing first-base umpire Dan Iassogna's call on Curtis Granderson's leadoff ground out. Granderson and Leyland argued that Cairo's foot came off the bag as Cairo dived for Adrian Beltre's throw.

Staff reporter José Miguel Romero contributed to this report.

For the record

Streak: W1

Home: 14-15

Road: 7-20

vs. AL West: 10-11

vs. L.A.: 3-3

vs. Oakland: 3-2

vs. Texas: 4-6

vs. AL East: 5-14

vs. AL Central: 4-9

vs. NL: 2-1

vs. LHP: 4-11

vs. RHP: 17-24

Day: 7-10

Night: 14-25

One-run: 5-10

Extra innings: 2-2

Home attendance

Sarturday's crowd: 33,441

Season total: 814,957

Biggest crowd: 46,334 (March 31)

Smallest crowd: 15,818 (May 6)

Average (29 dates): 28,101

2007 average (29 dates): 29,241