In a season where the defense has become its one jewel, the Mariners used that facet of their game to break the Paul Byrd jinx last night.

Over the past month, the Mariners have climbed to become the top fielding team in the American League, snapping a tie with Los Angeles in that category last night as they beat the Angels, 2-1, at Safeco Field.

On a night where glovework dominated for Seattle, with Yuniesky Betancourt and Jeremy Reed stunning as usual, the Mariners prevailed in a matchup of ninth-inning chances to break a 1-1 tie.

After escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the top of the ninth, when Adrian Beltre made a heady decision to step on third before throwing home to get Orlando Cabrera for an out, Seattle beat Byrd for the first time in his four strong starts against them on Greg Dobbs' two-out single in the bottom of the ninth.

"Our defense has been solid," said Reed, who rates Gold Glove consideration in center field. "Yunie makes an amazing play every day. I just love being out there watching him."

Betancourt's amazing play of the day at shortstop prevented a run in the first when Vladimir Guerrero grounded a ball to the left side with a runner on third and two outs.

"That was not hit hard, but it was no slow roller," Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said. "I saw him charge and he made it look easy."

Looking more and more like Omar Vizquel with each game, Betancourt, playing back for Guerrero's power, knew he had one play to prevent the run from scoring, and he did not have the time to use his glove.

Although the ball was hit harder than most balls played with a bare hand, the little infielder snagged it in his throwing hand and on the run threw sidearm to nip Guerrero.

Hargrove said the shortstop's arrival in late July "certainly solidified the defense. In the time he's been here, he's made us much better up the middle, as has Jose Lopez at second."

The Angels used three singles in the seventh to knot Seattle's unearned run off a Byrd error in the third.

In the ninth, the Angels hit Mariners starter Ryan Franklin hard for the first time, Cabrera lining a single off Beltre's glove and Garret Anderson lining a double inside the line at first. Guerrero was walked intentionally to load the bases, and lefty George Sherrill relieved to face Darin Erstad.

On 1-1, Erstad slapped a slider to Beltre, who started a crucial double play, stepping on third for a force and throwing home to get Cabrera out between third and home.

J.J. Putz relieved and ended the jam on Bengie Molina's bouncer to Beltre.

"That was a heck of a play by Beltre on a spinning ball," Hargrove said. "And yet he had the presence of mind to step on third. Instead of the 5-2-3 we might have expected, we got both their lead runners. Huge.

"Then they turned it around on us in our half of the inning."

Reed, who had robbed Anderson with a full-extension dive in the seventh, opened the winning rally with a bunt single to the right of the mound.

"I just saw their people back and decided to lay one down," Reed said. "Although I've popped up three of my last four, this one worked."

Swinging away, Raul Ibanez blooped a single to right that left runners at the corners. Scot Shields relieved Byrd, and infielder Maicer Izturis came in to replace center fielder Steve Finley and played infield when the Angels went with five infielders drawn in.

"We do that all the time," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "You defend what you can. A fly ball wins the game; no use defending that."

Richie Sexson grounded an 0-1 pitch to second baseman Adam Kennedy playing to the left of second and started an unheard-of 4-8-3 double play.

The defense went back to normal alignment, and after Beltre was walked intentionally, Dobbs drove a 1-0 fastball into center to win the game.

The Mariners, who had scored only four runs off Byrd in 22-2/3 innings this season, got him for a run in the third.

Betancourt led with a single and was bunted over, and Ichiro also dropped a sweet bunt to the left of the mound. Byrd took the ball and made an off-balance throw to first that cost him a run when it sailed beyond the bag.

Franklin, after the first, was as solid as Joel Pineiro the night before. After Betancourt's great play to end the first, the right-hander got 17 outs from 17 batters — Juan Rivera led the third with a hit but was out in a double play — until Guerrero singled with two away in the seventh to start the rally that tied the score, 1-1.

Bob Finnigan: 206-464-8276 or bfinnigan@seattletimes.com