SEATTLE, July 11 (UPI) -- Jose Lopez hit a grand slam homer in the eighth inning Saturday that vaulted Seattle to a 4-1 victory over the New York Yankees.
Felix Hernandez went the distance for the Mariners and was allowed to work his way out of a ninth-inning jam after Seattle had grabbed the lead.
Starter Javier Vazquez gave up just three hits in seven shutout innings before being replaced by Joba Chamberlain to start the eighth.
Chamberlain quickly surrendered New York's one-run advantage and the Yankees went on to lose for the first time in eight outings. New York's lead over Tampa Bay in the American League East was reduced to two games.
Jack Wilson led off the Seattle eighth with a single and was promptly erased on a fielder's choice grounder off the bat of Ichiro Suzuki.
Chone Figgins then singled Suzuki to second and after both runners moved up on a wild pitch, Russell Branyan was walked intentionally to load the bases.
That brought up Lopez, who punched a 2-0 pitch into the seats in left field. It was his sixth home run of the season.
New York's run came on a third-inning homer by Nick Swisher.
Hernandez (7-5) gave up 10 hits and was left in to start the ninth despite closer David Aardsma warming up in the bull pen.
New York put runners on first and third with one out, but Hernandez struck out Jorge Posada and Brett Gardner to end the game.
