Cabrera hits go-ahead double in 8th, Yankees beat Seattle 8-5 for 6th straight win

Cabrera hits key double, Yanks win 6th straight

NEW YORK — Melky Cabrera hit a go-ahead double in the eighth inning and Mariano Rivera tossed out the first ball — and threw the final pitch — as the New York Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners 8-5 Tuesday night for their sixth straight win.

Alex Rodriguez hit his 565th career homer and Cabrera drove in three runs. The Yankees won their ninth in a row at home over Seattle, a streak dating to 2007.

Major league batting leader Ichiro Suzuki got two hits and stole three bases for the Mariners.

After a 61-minute rain delay at the start, Rivera began the evening by delivering a ceremonial first pitch as the Yankees honored him for earning his 500th career save Sunday. Rivera fittingly closed it, pitching a perfect ninth for his 19th save in 20 chances.

“I told the guys, ‘I might throw the first and the last one, too,’” Rivera said moments after the final out. “So it was great.”

Cabrera, with a knack for key hits late in games, lined an RBI double off Sean White (2-1). Derek Jeter followed with a two-run single.

Brian Bruney (3-0) got the win despite giving up two runs in the eighth that made it 5-all. Kenji Johjima hit an RBI single and Russell Branyan tied it with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly.

Rodriguez launched his 12th homer of the season in the seventh for a 5-3 lead. He immediately tossed aside his bat after the tiebreaking two-run shot.

The Mariners are the AL’s worst-fielding team and hours after two-time Gold Glove third baseman Adrian Beltre had shoulder surgery, replacement Chris Woodward made two errors on one play to help New York take a 2-0 lead in the second.

With runners on first and second, Woodward bobbled a slow grounder by Hideki Matsui for the first mistake. He then skipped a throw past first that let one run score, and another came home on Cabrera’s sacrifice fly.

Ronny Cedeno, batting only .133, homered in the Seattle third. As is their way under bullpen coach John Wetteland, the Mariners relievers all met to high-five the occasion.

Seattle tied it at 3 in the fifth. Suzuki led off with a single and stole his way around to third, setting up RBI singles by Branyan and Franklin Gutierrez.

In a matchup of setup men who were converted to starters, neither pitcher went deep into the game. Joba Chamberlain went 5 1-3 innings for the Yankees while winless Brandon Morrow lasted just 4 2-3 innings.

NOTES: Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo was on the field, clutching a football and chatting with Jeter and other Yankees before rain cut short batting practice. Romo brought a guest — 10-year-old leukemia patient Ben Grant of Albany, N.Y. Asked his favorite teams, the boy said the Yankees, Cowboys and New York Giants. “No, not the Giants!” Romo said in mock distress. … The Yankees acquired utilityman Eric Hinske and cash from Pittsburgh for two minor leaguers. Bad weather delayed Hinske’s flight to New York.