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Mariners win to salvage series with Jays

Sep 26, 2014 - 4:37 AM Toronto, ON (SportsNetwork.com) - Logan Morrison cracked two homers and drove in four runs, helping the Seattle Mariners snap a five-game losing streak with a 7-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday.

Mike Zunino also homered for the Mariners, who salvaged a win in the four-game series as they try desperately to stay alive in the hunt for an AL wild-card berth.

The Mariners entered play three games behind Kansas City and Oakland in the wild-card race and gained one game on Oakland. They have a three-game series ahead against the AL-West champion Angels in Seattle this weekend. Seattle went 4-7 on an 11-game road trip that started in Anaheim.

"We still have hope," Zunino said. "We have a tough series with the Angels, but we're looking forward to playing them."

Toronto's Kevin Pillar hit a leadoff homer off Fernando Rodney in the ninth inning, but the Mariners closer shut the door for his MLB-leading 47th save.

The Blue Jays won the first three games of the series by a combined score of 25-6

Morrison teed off on an Aaron Loup (4-4) fastball leading off the sixth inning for his second homer of the game and 11th of the season, snapping a 4-4 tie. Zunino homered with one out off Dustin McGowan, jumping on a 3-0 fastball to give Seattle a 6-4 lead.

Kendrys Morales doubled in the seventh, and pinch-runner James Jones scored on Kyle Seager's RBI single to make it 7-4.

Both teams started relievers. As a result, they combined to use 15 pitchers.

Former closer Tom Wilhelmsen made his second spot start of the season for the Mariners and didn't last two innings. He came out after giving up a one-out RBI single to Anthony Gose, and another run in the inning was also charged to him as the Blue Jays built an early 2-0 lead.

Daniel Norris, a September call-up who worked out of the bullpen in his first four appearances for Toronto, made his first MLB start and was lifted during a four-run fourth, charged with two of the runs.

"I thought Norris did OK. It was a good way for him to end the season, go out there and get some innings under his belt," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "He scattered it a little bit, but I think a lot of that is nerves."

Kyle Seager had an RBI single off Todd Redmond and Morrison followed with a three-run blast to right-center, giving the Mariners a 4-2 edge.

Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Lind each knocked in a run in the fifth to tie the score for Toronto, Encarnacion on a sacrifice fly and Lind on a single. The hits came off Yoervis Medina (5-3).

Game Notes

It was Zunino's 22nd homer of the season ... Rodney is one save away from matching his career-high 48, set during the 2012 season ... Seattle outhit Toronto 10-5.