KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Seattle has struggled to win on the road over the last month, losing 10 straight capped by a ninth-inning meltdown in the Mariners series-opener against the Kansas City Royals.Some strong pitching and a bit of fortune helped them break their long road skid Friday night.Hisashi Iwakuma pitched into the seventh inning, Seattle scored the go-ahead runs on Yordano Venturas wild pitch and the Mariners held on to beat the World Series champions 3-1 to even the four-game set.Iwakuma (9-6) allowed one run, five hits and three walks over 6 2/3 innings, striking out six. He kept the Royals off balance with his usual herky-jerky delivery, the only run he allowed coming on Cheslor Cuthberts base hit in the fourth inning.Overall I was able to make good pitches, location-wise, and execute when I needed to, change speeds, go back and forth, Iwakuma said through an interpreter. Especially with the breaking ball I was able to go from strike to ball and they were chasing those pitches and it made it very helpful from my end.Steve Cishek, who blew the save the previous night, allowed Salvador Perezs homer in the ninth before finishing off the inning. It was his 21st save of the season.Yesterday was tough. I felt really good yesterday. Its just baseball, he said. I wanted a chance to go back out there and, if I had the chance, give the team the win to make up for it. It got a little sketchy there. I didnt think he hit that that well, but, you know, I was able to finish it off.Ventura (6-6) was nearly as stingy as Iwakuma, giving up only a sacrifice fly to Ketel Marte in the fifth, before things unraveled for him after Seth Smiths single and Robinson Canos double in the sixth.Nelson Cruz stepped to the plate and nearly gave Seattle a three-run homer, sending a pitch soaring down the right-field line. First base umpire CB Bucknor initially signaled home run, then signaled foul ball, then decided that he wasnt quite sure and met with the rest of the umpires.I lost it. I think that happened to the umpire, too, Cruz said. I had no clue.After a review, the ball was declared foul and Nelson dug in again.This time, Venturas pitch got past Perez and bounded away, allowing Smith to score from third base and tie the game 1-all. Perez threw the ball away trying to get him out at the plate, allowing Cano to also score -- the star catcher was given an error on the play.I was pitching good up to that point, I got two quick outs in that inning, Ventura said. I lost concentration and got a little bit behind the count, gave up a couple of hits and then came that play.The Mariners used three relievers to get the game to Cishek, who bounced back from Perezs home run to retire Paulo Orlando and Cuthbert and help snap Seattles road losing streak.Thats the beauty of baseball, Cishek said. You play so many games that if you have a bad outing you have an opportunity to get back out there the next night.HOME SWEET HOMERoyals manager Ned Yost has given up trying to explain his clubs bizarre home-road split -- they began the day 28-11 at Kauffman Stadium, best in the majors, but are just 16-30 away from the spacious ballpark. They average five runs at home and just over three on the road. Its puzzling, Yost said, but theres not anything you can point to other than were just not producing.TRAINERS ROOMFelix Hernandez will return July 20 against the White Sox. He is slated for a rehab start with Class-A Everett on Sunday. When asked what directions he would give Hernandez upon his return, manager Scott Servais replied: Go pitch. Have fun. Hernandez went on the DL on June 1 with a right calf strain.UP NEXTRoyals RHP Edinson Volquez tries to continue his dominance of Seattle when the teams continue their four-game set Saturday. Volquez is 4-0 with a 2.38 ERA in six career starts against the Mariners. Hell face Mariners LHP Wade Miley, who is 0-2 since his return from a left shoulder injury. Miley is 4-1 with a 2.91 ERA against the Royals, throwing a shutout against them on April 30.Custom Chicago White Sox Nike Jerseys . Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek defeated Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (4) on the indoor hard-court at Belgrade Arena. The victory improved the Czech pairs impressive cup doubles record to 14-1. Custom Philadelphia Phillies Nike Jerseys . Rinne played two periods in his first game since left hip surgery in early May. Gabriel Bourque scored 3:07 into the second period and Austin Watson tallied 5:15 later for Nashville. https://www.custombaseballnikejerseys.com/?tag=custom-tampa-bay-rays-nike-jerseys . -- Team after team passed on Andre Ellington in the draft. Custom New York Mets Nike Jerseys . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. Custom Texas Rangers Nike Jerseys . -- Peyton Manning will have all of his wide receivers available for the first time in a month when the Denver Broncos begin their playoff run Jan.STANTON, Del. -- American Patriot set a Delaware Park course record for 1-1/8 miles on turf while winning the Grade 3 Kent Stakes by 1-1/2 lengths Saturday on the Del Cap undercard.The Delaware turf was playing quick as earlier in the day Sleeping Giant missed setting a five-furlong course record on turf by .01 of a second while winning a second-level optional-claiming race.American Patriot, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Jose Ortiz, saved ground in the second flight as pacesetting Hell Pay set realistic fractions of 24.61 seconds, 48.20, and 1:12.00, Ortiz tipped American Patriot outside Hell Pay entering the stretch and they took the lead in midstretch and pulled away.American Patriot, the 8-5 favorite, paid $5.40 and completed the course in 1:47.19. The mile split was 1:35.68. The old record was 1:47.27 set by Optimizer in the 2012 Kent Stakes.Hell Pay held on for second by a neck over third-place Inspector Lynley, who came very wide into the stretch and finished well. Converge finished fourth, 1-3/4 lengths farther back.Hanford Memorial: Bodhisattva finished fastBodhisattva won his second straight race since being reunited with trainer Jose Corrales in the $50,250 Carl Hanford Memorial Stakes.Bodhisattva broke a seven-race losing streak in his prior start when he closed from far back to win a third-level optional-claiming race at Laurel Park. The win was the first for Bodhisattva since the Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel in April 2015.Last summer, Corrales took Bodhisattva to western Canada, where he finished fourth in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park. He then made one start for trainer Wally Pugh at Northlands. Bodhisattva then was sent to Southern California, where he made three starts for trainer Doug ONeill earlier this year before being sent back east to Corrales.In the 1-11/16-mile Hanford, Kobel set the early pace inside Aint Got Time as they raced well clear of the rest of the field through quick fractions of 23.dddddddddddd.85, 47.29, and 1:10.88. Aint Got Time eventually got the best of that battle but was replaced on the front end in midstretch by Savoy Stomp. Bodhisattva then came flying to take the lead in deep stretch and win by 1-1/4 lengths.Kid Cruz rallied from last in the seven-horse field to nip Aint Got Time for third by a neck, finishing 1-1/4 lengths behind Savoy Stomp.Bodhisattva, ridden by Taylor Hole, paid $25.60 as the second-longest price in the field. The final time was 1:44.20 following a mile in 1:37.77.Hockessin: Green Gratto outfights Big Guy IanA week after he tired to finish fifth in the Belmont Sprint Championship, Green Gratto turned in a gutsy performance to outbattle Big Guy Ian in the $50,125 Hockessin Stakes.Green Gratto prompted the early pace inside Big Guy Ian through fractions of 22.16 and 44.95 before inching away in the stretch to win the six-furlong race by three-quarters of a length. He was timed in 1:10.82.Trainer Gaston Grant supplemented Green Gratto to the Hockessin on entry day.He was acting like he wasnt tired, Grant said. Hes a durable horse. This is his 45th start. Its all the animal. Its not me.Green Gratto, ridden by Jose Ortiz, paid $5 as the favorite in the six-horse field.Sir Rockport finished third, three-quarters of a length behind Big Guy Ian. Chief Istan, the 9-5 second choice, raced in good early position behind the leaders, lodged a three wide bid on the turn, then flattened out to finish fifth.Any Court Inastorm was bumped and shuffled back after the start, then trailed throughout. ' ' '