Sub pop: Lee, Gutierrez strong in platoon roles

SEATTLE — With a lefty-leaning lineup, the Mariners figured that southpaw starters could be an Achilles’ heel this season, and they struggled against left-handers early this year.

But with platoon partners Dae-Ho Lee and Franklin Gutierrez driving in five runs on home runs on Tuesday, Seattle won its fifth straight game against a left-handed starter with a 6-4 victory over the Rays and southpaw Drew Smyly.

“It was great to see Guti kind of bust out tonight with a big home run early,” manager Scott Servais said. “Dae-Ho continues to do it. It’s tough to hit the ball out opposite field in Safeco, and he put a good swing on it. It was a big night by both those guys.”

Gutierrez’s two-run shot in the first inning was his first of the year as he’s gotten off to a quiet start, but Lee has proved to be a huge surprise as the 33-year-old rookie from Korea now has five homers and is hitting .283 in limited duty at first base.

“He’s amazing,” Gutierrez said of his new teammate. “He can hit it out to left, center, right. He’s got big-time power. He’s a big boy.”

Lee showed bunt early in his at-bat against Smyly in the fourth before powering his three-run home run. He said he was just looking to draw in the infielders, but wound up raising a few eyebrows in the process.

“Nothing surprises me with Dae-Ho,” Servais said with a smile. “That was not coming from the bench. But he has fun playing the game. It’s almost …

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