By Sean McAdam
CSNNE.com Red Sox InsiderFollow @sean_mcadam
BOSTON -- It doesn't take much to beat the Seattle Mariners these days, but just in case, the Red Sox pounded out 17 hits and gained a 12-8 win over the slumping Mariners, who lost for the 15th straight time.
A grand slam by Mariners shortstop Brendan Ryan in the seventh made the final score seem respectable -- and chased starter Tim Wakefield. But the game had long since been decided.
Wakefield gave up seven runs in 6 13 innings but not before recording his 199th career win and notching his 2,000th strikeout as a member of the Red Sox. He received a long standing ovation after fanning Mike Carp for the final out in the sixth.
The Mariners grabbed a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Red Sox quickly answered with five runs in the bottom of the inning and pulled away with five more in the their half of the fifth.
Every Red Sox starter except Marco Scutaro collected at least one hit, with Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford and Jarrod Saltalamacchia each getting three hits. Saltalamacchia had four RBI.
Jacoby Ellsbury, Josh Reddick and David Ortiz had two hits each.
Alfredo Aceves pitched the final 2 23 innings, giving up one run.
Boston Red Sox
While the Mariners' freefall continued, the Red Sox won for the 17th time in their last 20 games.
STAR OF THE GAME: Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Saltalamacchia collected three hits -- one of three Red Sox players to do so -- and added four RBI.
He provided a two-run single in the five-run first for Boston, then added a two-run single in the fifth when the Red Sox added another five-run frame. The four RBI represented a season high for the catcher, who is hitting .438 over his last seven games.
HONORABLE MENTION: Carl Crawford
Crawford lifted his average to a season-high .254 with a two-hit game while knocking in two runs.
Crawford came off the DL Monday in Baltimore and is 9-for-24 since returning to the lineup.
GOAT OF THE GAME: Michael Pineda
The Mariners said after the game that their rookie pitcher may have been tipping pitchers; it certainly looked like the Red Sox knew what was coming, especially in the first when everything they hit off him was a rocket.
He lasted 4 13 innings and was charged with seven runs.
TURNING POINT: In the fifth inning, the Red Sox were leading 5-3 with one out and the bases loaded.
Crawford's two-run single to left scored two and two batters later, chased Pineda from the game.
BY THE NUMBERS: While the Mariners have lost 15 straight, the Red Sox have nine in a row at home and 17 of the last 20 overall.
QUOTE OF NOTE: "This is the best lineup I've ever played for here. It's pretty solid one through nine.'' --Tim Wakefield.
Sean McAdam can be reached at smcadam@comcastsportsnet.com. Follow Sean on Twitter at http:twitter.comsean_mcadam