NEW YORK -- Even as he slumped early, Chris Iannetta did not dwell on the results following some changes to his approach during spring training.

On Friday, Iannetta produced some significant results.

Iannetta had three hits, including a tiebreaking two-run home run with nobody out in the top of the fifth inning as the Seattle Mariners opened a nine-game road trip with a 7-1 victory over the New York Yankees.

Iannetta began his ninth game as a Mariner 5-for-22 after hitting .188 in 92 games last season with the Los Angeles Angels. He had three hits in his first four at-bats but went 2-for-18 with seven strikeouts during Seattle's six-game homestand.

"It weighed on me from the beginning of last season on through last season on to my workouts in the offseason," Iannetta said. "I think spring training it was definitely on my mind. I was trying to detach myself from the results and focus on the process. That's why I took the entire spring to make some adjustments and not care if I went 0-for-3 or 0-for-4 and didn't have good at-bats because I knew what I was working on and I wanted to get that control before anything else."

By the end of Friday, Iannetta's batting average climbed to .258. He hit his second home run when he sent a 2-0 fastball from Luis Severino into the left field seats and then added an RBI single in the eighth.

Those hits gave Iannetta his first game with at least three RBIs since July 21 and his first game with at least three hits since May 18 and they all came against right-handed pitchers, whom he had been 0-for-9 against.

"Really good night for Chris," Mariners manager Scott Servais said. "He's at a good spot where he's at mentally. He feels good about his swing. A really big night for him."

Besides Iannetta, others contributed as Seattle had 12 hits and put the leadoff man on in six innings.

Former Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano heard boos before each at-bat and contributed an RBI single in the fourth that tied the game at 1-1 and scored on Adam Lind's base hit in the sixth. Franklin Gutierrez, had two RBI with a sacrifice fly and an RBI double after entering the game as a pinch hitter.

Iannetta's contributions were not limited to production at the plate. He also helped Nathan Karns dodge trouble for five innings.

Karns allowed one run and five hits while holding the Yankees to one hit in 11 at-bats with men on base and worked out of key jams during the first, fourth and fifth.

"Karns hung in there, just tight roped a little bit, didn't give in and got through it."

He gave up a home run to Brett Gardner on a 1-0 fastball with one out in the first but that was it. The Yankees had two on immediately after Gardner homered but Karns retired Dustin Ackley on a pop-up.

After getting the lead, Karns put two on with nobody out in the fourth but struck out Chase Headley, Didi Gregorius and Jacoby Ellsbury. In the fifth, he retired Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran and Ackley with two on.

"Iannetta was really big back there for me," Karns said. "I don't know how many balls were in the dirt but he kept the ball in front, kept the runners there. He gave me an opportunity to continue to execute pitches."

The Yankees lost their third straight due to their inability to get big hits. They were hitless in 12 at-bats with runners in scoring position and are 3-for-34 in those situations in their last four games after opening the year 17-for-43 (.395).

"That kind of goes in cycles at times," New York manager Joe Girardi said. "Sometimes you can struggle in those situations and that's usually the difference between winning and losing. We've struggled the last few days with runners on and that's why we've lost a few in a row."

New York's Luis Severino (0-2) allowed four runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. It marked the eighth time in nine games a Yankee starter did not get an out in the seventh.

"I just think at times he's making some mistakes with some pitches," Girardi said. "He got behind Iannetta, and he threw him a 2-0 fastball and he got too much of the plate and he hit it out."

NOTES: DH Alex Rodriguez was given the night off from New York's starting lineup after going hitless in his last 14 at-bats. "When you're 40 people are going to always question, is it his age," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "When it's early in the season, it's usually a lot more glaring. When you go 0-for-14 and you've got 400 at-bats under your belt, you're hitting .275-.280, people don't say a whole lot." ... Seattle manager Scott Servais said RHP Joaquin Benoit (right shoulder stiffness) has responded well to treatment and playing catch. Benoit has not pitched since last Friday. ... The Yankees made their first transaction of the season, optioning RHP Luis Cessa to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and recalling LHP Tyler Olson from there. ... Former New York 2B Robinson Cano said the ex-teammates he keeps in touch with are Rodriguez, LHP CC Sabathia and RHP Ivan Nova.