Ackley has 3 RBIs, leads Mariners over Jays
SEATTLE (AP) - Dustin Ackley drove in three runs and Jason Vargas pitched seven strong innings to lead the Seattle Mariners to their sixth consecutive victory, 7-2 over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.
Vargas (12-7) allowed two runs and five hits. He walked one and struck out four.
The last time the Mariners won six consecutive games was May 18-23, 2011.
Toronto starter Aaron Laffey (2-2) lasted just 4 2-3 innings, allowing nine hits and seven runs.
The Mariners roughed up Laffey for three runs in the second after scoring a run in the first.
Mike Carp singled, Miguel Olivo doubled and Trayvon Robinson had an RBI single. Brendan Ryan drove in another with a single to right field - pulling his average to .200 for the first time since April 21. Robinson then scored on Ackley's grounder to first base.
Ryan's three hits were his season high. He's hit .279 over his last 36 games to raise his season average to .205.
Toronto's Brett Lawrie, hitting leadoff Tuesday, had struck out five consecutive times in the series before lacing a double into the left-field corner in the third. His first hit in eight at-bats scored two runs - only because rookie Moises Sierra, who had singled for his first career hit, sprinted past a stop sign from third base coach Brian Butterfield and narrowly scored.
Vargas labored through a 30-pitch inning and had thrown 62 pitches by the end of the third.
But, Vargas then retired 10 straight before Yunel Escobar led off the seventh with a hit. Rajai Davis also singled in the seventh, though Vargas would rebound to get consecutive flyouts from Jeff Mathis and Sierra.
Laffey hit Carp to load the bases in the fifth. Brandon Lyon was summoned from the bullpen, and he allowed a two-run single up the middle by Olivo to make it 7-2.
Ackley hit Laffey's first pitch of the game for his second career leadoff homer and seventh of the season overall. Ackley also drove in a run in the fourth on a fielder's choice. Robinson hustled for a double to start the inning off.
Escobar hit a line drive that Kyle Seager caught to open the fourth. Seager was positioned in front of the third base bag and the force of the ball almost pulled his glove off and spun him around.
NOTES: The Mariners called up relievers Carter Capps and Stephen Pryor from Triple-A Tacoma to take the place of traded relievers Brandon League and Steve Delabar. . Delabar made his Blue Jays debut a night after being traded from Seattle. He pitched a scoreless seventh inning. ... Outfielder Eric Thames, whom the Mariners traded for Monday, also joined the club. . Sierra was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday. He got the start in right field.
Vargas (12-7) allowed two runs and five hits. He walked one and struck out four.
The last time the Mariners won six consecutive games was May 18-23, 2011.
Toronto starter Aaron Laffey (2-2) lasted just 4 2-3 innings, allowing nine hits and seven runs.
The Mariners roughed up Laffey for three runs in the second after scoring a run in the first.
Mike Carp singled, Miguel Olivo doubled and Trayvon Robinson had an RBI single. Brendan Ryan drove in another with a single to right field - pulling his average to .200 for the first time since April 21. Robinson then scored on Ackley's grounder to first base.
Ryan's three hits were his season high. He's hit .279 over his last 36 games to raise his season average to .205.
Toronto's Brett Lawrie, hitting leadoff Tuesday, had struck out five consecutive times in the series before lacing a double into the left-field corner in the third. His first hit in eight at-bats scored two runs - only because rookie Moises Sierra, who had singled for his first career hit, sprinted past a stop sign from third base coach Brian Butterfield and narrowly scored.
Vargas labored through a 30-pitch inning and had thrown 62 pitches by the end of the third.
But, Vargas then retired 10 straight before Yunel Escobar led off the seventh with a hit. Rajai Davis also singled in the seventh, though Vargas would rebound to get consecutive flyouts from Jeff Mathis and Sierra.
Laffey hit Carp to load the bases in the fifth. Brandon Lyon was summoned from the bullpen, and he allowed a two-run single up the middle by Olivo to make it 7-2.
Ackley hit Laffey's first pitch of the game for his second career leadoff homer and seventh of the season overall. Ackley also drove in a run in the fourth on a fielder's choice. Robinson hustled for a double to start the inning off.
Escobar hit a line drive that Kyle Seager caught to open the fourth. Seager was positioned in front of the third base bag and the force of the ball almost pulled his glove off and spun him around.
NOTES: The Mariners called up relievers Carter Capps and Stephen Pryor from Triple-A Tacoma to take the place of traded relievers Brandon League and Steve Delabar. . Delabar made his Blue Jays debut a night after being traded from Seattle. He pitched a scoreless seventh inning. ... Outfielder Eric Thames, whom the Mariners traded for Monday, also joined the club. . Sierra was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday. He got the start in right field.
Ackley 3 RBIS, 2 on fielder's choice. Not exactly clutch.
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Enjoying this win streak against the league dregs though. Yes, they aren't "quality" wins but they are wins. Nice to see some runs scored to support the ptiching (another nice game for Vargas!)
They just put the broom away, now they gotta get it back out!
 @Gigantor! Whoopie ding....all they are doing is effing up their draft position. Do you recall the 2009 draft when the M's picked 2nd thanks to a late surge at the end of '08? Well I do and I remember how they screwed themselves out of getting Steven Strasburg because of it. So again whoopie ding.
@Pwrstrokin Any team that plays for draft picks deserves fans like you.
I think everyone is fighting for a job. Nobody is safe. PItching is finally coming around also. Everything seems to be clicking right now. Can we play our way back and make things a little interesting maybe? At least put a scare into the other teams.
Well my fingers are crossed anyway.
 @Anim8ed At 8.5 games out of even a wildcard spot.....that would be a NO
 @Pwrstrokin Did you already forget about what the Cards did, they were 10.5 games back in late August and won the world series.  Also the guy who made the 2 bets, 500/1 on the NL Championship and 999/1 on the World Series...cha ching!
@Pwrstrokin @Anim8ed if it's still mathamatically possible, I still got hope.
What's going on? Ever since trading Ichiro it seems this team is anew. But why was trading Ichiro a positive spin? Is it a atmosphere thing?
 @sirgavin7 "What's going on?"  That's easy....look at who they have played since the trade.