BALTIMORE -- Starting pitcher Roenis Elias came out and pitched his finest game of the season and the struggling Seattle Mariners bats supported his effort, rapping out 12 hits in a 4-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles.

Elias allowed one run in 7 2/3 innings, and Justin Ruggiano hit a two-run homer, scored two runs and drove in two runs.

The clubs play the rubber match of the three game series Thursday afternoon.

Ruggiano, Seattle's center fielder, also doubled and scored the team's first run.

Shortstop Chris Taylor drove in a seventh-inning run with his first career triple, one of the Mariners' five extra-base hits. Right fielder Nelson Cruz added two hits to raise his career average to .353 (59-for-167) against the Orioles.

"We came out swinging the bats pretty good for him (Elias) tonight," Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said.

It was Elias' first major league win since Sept. 4, 2014. It was only his fifth start of the year since being called up April 26 from Double-A Tacoma.

"He's been outstanding. He's been very consistent since his recall from Triple-A. I've been extremely happy with him," said McClendon.

Elias (1-1) shut out the Orioles over the first seven innings. The Cuban-born left-hander retired 10 batters in a row between the third and sixth innings.

Elias threw basically two pitches all night -- but had great success with them.

"I had a good changeup," Elias said through an interpreter. "I hardly threw any curveballs today. I had a good command on my fastball."

The Orioles threatened against Elias in the seventh and eighth innings, collecting two hits in both frames and knocking him out of the game in the eighth.

Elias retired the first two batters in the eighth before second baseman Rey Navarro and third baseman Manny Machado singled. Designated hitter Jimmy Paredes singled, scoring Navarro and extending his on-base streak to 21 consecutive games, but he was thrown out at second trying to stretch it to a double.

Closer Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for Seattle to earn his 10th save, but not before center fielder Adam Jones and right fielder Delmon Young reached on back-to-back singles to start the inning. After two strikeouts, shortstop J.J. Hardy singled to make it 4-2. Pinch hitter Travis Snider grounded out to end the game.

Orioles starter Wei-Yin Chen (1-3) went seven innings, allowing four runs on eight hits. Chen did not walk a batter, and he fanned four in his 103-pitch outing.

"I thought he was good tonight," said Orioles manager Buck Showalter. "He left a couple of breaking balls up that I know he would have liked back, but other than that, he was crisp. There wasn't a lot of margin for error the way the other guy (Elias) was pitching.

"It was a tribute to Wei-Yin and the other guys who pitched that we were in the position we were to take a run at them like we did."

The Orioles were especially hurt by two close calls in the final two innings -- one the out call against Paredes at second in the eighth and the other a called third strike that led to Davis' one-out strikeout with runners two runners on in the ninth inning.

"Someone said it may have nicked the corner of the plate. I know it's close. It's one of those 50-50 calls," said Showalter. "That one went against Chris and it went against us at second base. If you knew they were going to call that pitch a strike you'd have swung at it."

The Mariners jumped in front 1-0 in the second when Ruggiano doubled to right and scored on catcher Mike Zunino's double to center.

Seattle's lead became 3-0 in the fourth when Cruz led off with a double and Ruggiano hit a 2-2 pitch into the left field bleachers for his second homer of the season.

Tyler Wilson pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the Orioles, making his major league debut after being called up from Triple-A Norfolk on Monday.

NOTES: C Welington Castillo, who joined the Mariners on Wednesday after he was acquired in a trade with the Chicago Cubs, will likely start the series finale Thursday. ... Seattle optioned C Jesus Sucre to Triple-A Tacoma. ... Mariners CF Austin Jackson (right ankle sprain) will continue his rehab stint with Tacoma during its upcoming series with Iowa. ... Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said RHP Bud Norris (bronchitis) likely will be activated off the disabled list Tuesday, the first day he is eligible to return. ... Baltimore C Matt Wieters, rehabbing from elbow surgery, is dealing with a hamstring issue. However, he is due to catch an extended spring training game Thursday.