SEATTLE -- Making his first big league start at first base and just his third appearance in the majors in nearly 13 months, Jesus Montero made strides in proving that he belongs with the Seattle Mariners. Cheap Dennis Eckersley Jersey . Montero hit his first big league home run in more than a year, played error-free in the field and helped the Mariners sweep a two-game set over the San Diego Padres with a 6-1 victory Tuesday. The former top catching prospect was suspended 50 games for his connection to the Biogenesis performance-enhancing drug investigation last year and began the season at Triple-A Tacoma. "I really appreciate the opportunity that the Mariners are giving me again," Montero said. "Its really hard for me, what I was going through last year -- very tough year. Little by little, was in Triple-A working hard to be here and they gave me an opportunity again, and I feel really happy that they were paying attention to me. Now Im here. "I just want to appreciate that opportunity that they give me again and I want to just help them, help them to win." Montero, who said he was using a heavier bat than usual as he normally does against left-handers, showed the power that has made him a top prospect by reaching out of the zone to pull a low pitch for a two-run homer to left in the second and give the Mariners a 2-1 lead. The two runs would prove to be enough for starter Roenis Elias, who pitched seven strong innings. Elias (6-5) allowed three hits and struck out six without a walk while facing the minimum in five innings. After failing to win a game for nearly a month, Elias has won three of his last four. The only mistake Elias made turned into a solo home run by Rene Rivera in the second. "It was a good day for me," Elias said through an interpreter. "I had control of it and went out and did what I was capable of doing. Thank God it worked out well for us." "He has a good, live, young arm," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "He threw some secondary pitches as the game went on when he was behind the count, which I think helped him." Robinson Cano added two more insurance runs in the fifth with his fourth home run of the season to give the Mariners a 4-1 lead and it was enough to chase San Diego starter Eric Stults. Stults (2-9) allowed four runs, six hits and a walk. The left-hander struck out five, but had trouble finding the strike zone consistently and needed a season-high 102 pitches. The Padres bullpen was unable to keep the game close, as reliever Tim Stauffer loaded the bases and then gave up a two-run double to Kyle Seager. The Seattle third baseman leads the team with 47 RBIs, the most by a Mariner through 71 games since Raul Ibanez had 49 in 2007. The Padres have scored two runs or less 10 times in the last 15 games and have recorded four hits or less 13 times this season. NOTES: The teams travel to San Diego for another two-game set. Seattle RHP Felix Hernandez and San Diego RHP Andrew Cashner are slated to pitch in the opener on Wednesday. ... Black said INF Jedd Gyorko (plantar fasciitis) is not close to returning from the 15-day DL, despite being eligible to be reinstated on Friday. Gyorko, though, may be able to shed his walking boot on Friday. Cheap Tony Phillips Jersey . Philbin said Thursday he wants players to treat one another with civility and he wont tolerate anything less. In taking questions for the first time since Ted Wells released his report into the bullying scandal that rocked the league, Philbin made it clear things would be cleaned up. Cheap Mark McGwire Jersey . -- Detroit shortstop Jose Iglesias says he has stress fractures in both legs and isnt sure when hell be able to play again, leaving the Tigers two weeks to fill his spot for opening day and perhaps a lot longer. http://www.cheapathleticsjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-walt-weiss-jersey . Didnt need any help this time. Wood beat Cincinnati for the first time in his career, repeatedly pitching out of threats for seven innings, and Chicago stalled the Reds week-long surge with a 2-0 victory Monday night.WASHINGTON -- Bradley Beal scored 26 points, and the Washington Wizards moved a step closer to claiming the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference on Saturday night with a 104-91 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, whose loss guaranteed they will finish with at least a tie for the worst record in the NBA. John Wall added 15 points and eight assists for the Wizards, who also clinched the franchises first winning record since 2008 -- which was also the last time they made the playoffs. Washington leads the seventh-place Charlotte Bobcats, who beat the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, by one game with two to play. The Bobcats hold the tiebreaker if Washington and Charlotte finish tied. Both teams are hoping to finish higher than seventh in order to avoid a first-round series against Miami or Indiana. Khris Middleton and Ramon Sessions scored 20 points apiece to lead the Bucks, who trail the 76ers by two games with two to play at the bottom of the league. The Bucks also failed in their latest chance to have their first winning streak of the season. They had won Friday night after losing six in a row. Injuries and a suspension to Larry Sanders had already thinned Larry Drews bench, and on Saturday the Bucks coach was down to a rotation of eight players after Brandon Knight was a late scratch with a sore right hip. The Wizards, meanwhile, played without Nene, who was resting on a back half of a back-to-back, having recently returned from sprained left knee. His fill-in, Trevor Booker, had another solid game, scoring 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting. Beal has been streakky of late, both good and bad. Cheap Reggie Jackson Jersey. He was 12 for 22 from the field Saturday night, but just 2 for 7 from 3-point range. He has made only five of 28 3-pointers in his last five games. Trevor Ariza, whose shot has suffered while he battled the flu for more than a week, looked a bit more refreshed as he went 5 for 7 from the field and scored 13 points for Washington. Marcin Gortat added 13 points and 13 rebounds. The Bucks and Wizards had gone to overtime in two of their three previous meetings this season, and this one stayed tight into the third quarter. Milwaukee stayed close by taking advantage of the offensive boards, while Washington had all the space in the world to work the baseline and drive to the paint