Seattle, WA (My Sportsbook) - Adrian Beltre doubled twice and knocked in a run, as Seattle used a five-run fifth inning to upend the Detroit Tigers, 6-3, in the opener of a three-game set.

Felix Hernandez (2-0) was credited with the win after allowing three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts in six innings for Seattle, which improved to 8-3 on the young season.

Ichiro Suzuki singled in the go-ahead run in the fifth inning off Justin Verlander (0-2), who struck out eight in 7 1/3 innings, allowing six runs -- five earned -- on eighth hits to take the tough loss.

"I thought he had shutout-type stuff tonight," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said of his starter. "It's a shame really. His performance was a lot better than the numbers."

Miguel Cabrera had three hits and Brandon Inge knocked in a pair for the Tigers, who opened a nine-game road trip with their second loss in three games.

After retiring the first 12 hitters in dominating fashion, Verlander imploded in the fifth. Beltre broke up the perfect game with a leadoff double, moved to third on Russell Branyan's single, and scored on a Jose Lopez base hit to left to cut Seattle's deficit to 3-1.

"We knew he was dealing and throwing a lot of strikes," Beltre said of Verlander. "We decided to attack his fastball and that's what we got him (on) that inning. After the first time around we decided to change our approach."

A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, and Yuniesky Betancourt followed with a bouncer to third. Inge had Branyan dead to rights at the plate, but one-hopped the ball to the catcher. Branyan slid in safely but was removed from the game after injuring his back.

Franklin Gutierrez's perfect bunt to the right side of the infield brought in another run, and Suzuki followed with a run-scoring line drive up the middle. Rattled, Verlander uncorked a wild pitch and Gutierrez scored to make it a 5-3 Mariners lead.

Shawn Kelley and David Aardsma tossed scoreless seventh and eighth innings, respectively, to keep it a two-run game, and Beltre's double scored a not-so fleet-of-foot Ken Griffey Jr. all the way from first for an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth.

Brandon Morrow entered in the ninth and was dominant, striking out Ramon Santiago and Curtis Granderson and getting Placido Polanco to pop out weakly to second to end the game and pick up his third save.

Hernandez struggled in the second inning, loading the bases and allowing a two-run single to Inge. Santiago followed with a run-scoring sacrifice bunt, but after loading the bags once again, Hernandez settled and got Magglio Ordonez to fly out to end the frame.

Game Notes

Verlander came in with a 6-1 record and a 2.91 earned run average against Seattle in his career...Detroit was 7-3 against the Mariners last season... Seattle's Endy Chavez snapped his 10-game hitting streak...The Tigers left eight men on base.