SEATTLE -- Jesus Montero and Robinson Cano each cracked a two-run home run and rookie Roenis Elias threw a seven-inning gem as the Mariners topped the Padres, 6-1, on Tuesday to sweep a two-game Interleague series at Safeco Field.
Montero reached out and drove an outside changeup over the left-field fence in the second inning for his first home run since being called up from Triple-A Tacoma last Thursday. The 24-year-old made his first start at first base, as manager Lloyd McClendon looked for a way to get an extra right-handed bat in the lineup against Padres southpaw Eric Stults, and the move paid off.
 
Cano, Montero go deep in Mariners' 6-1 win
 
It was Montero's first big league home run since May 8, 2013, after he was sent to the Minors for most of last season. He only returned last week as Seattle was searching for offensive help with Corey Hart, Justin Smoak and Michael Saunders all on the disabled list.
Montero, regarded as one of baseball's top hitting prospects when he was acquired from the Yankees in 2012, went 1-for-3 on Tuesday, and he's hit .300 (3-for-10) in three games since being recalled. Logan Morrison replaced Montero in the seventh with a 4-1 lead as McClendon wanted a better defender at first base.
Cano added his fourth home run of the year in the fifth inning when he drove an easy line drive into the right-field seats. The $240 million free agent went 1-for-3 with a walk, and he is batting .327 with 39 RBIs in his first season for Seattle.
Elias, a 25-year-old Cuban who was pitching Double-A ball last year, improved to 6-5 with a 3.91 ERA as he gave up one run and three hits over seven frames. Elias struck out six and didn't walk a batter, while throwing 87 pitches.
Elias surrendered a homer to Padres catcher Rene Rivera in the second, but he didn't allow a runner past second base the rest of the afternoon before turning the game over to fellow rookie Dominic Leone in the eighth.
Kyle Seager delivered a two-run bases-loaded double in the seventh to give Elias a 6-1 lead and raise his team-leading RBI total to 47.
Rookie center fielder James Jones went 3-for-5 and stole his fourth base in the past two games, having the speed to take second in the fifth inning even after getting picked off first by Stults. Jones has the most stolen bases of any American League rookie with 11, and he is batting .291 in 43 games since being called up.
The win was the third straight for Seattle, which improved to 37-34 and now heads to San Diego for two more Interleague games at Petco Park against a Padres club that fell to 29-42 and has lost eight of its last nine.
Greg Johns / MLB.com
 

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