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Pineda, Mariners take on visiting Blue Jays

Aug 15, 2011 - 2:52 PM (Sports Network) - Michael Pineda tries to pitch the Seattle Mariners to their third straight win this evening when they open a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays at Safeco Field.

Pineda has been one of the top rookies in the American League this season, going 9-7 with a 3.57 earned run average for the disappointing Mariners, who have stated that they will try and limit his innings from here on out. The young right-hander did not get a decision against the Texas Rangers last Tuesday, as he allowed three runs and five hits in six innings of a 7-6 loss.

In two starts against the Blue Jays this season Pineda is 1-0 with a 3.95 ERA.

Seattle played spoiler this weekend, as it took the final two games of its three-game series with the Boston Red Sox. On Sunday, Casper Wells hit a solo homer, Charlie Furbush pitched seven strong innings and the Mariners beat the Red Sox, 5-3.

Ichiro Suzuki collected two hits and scored a run for the Mariners and Mike Carp had an RBI single to extend his hitting streak to 14 games, the longest for a Seattle rookie since Ichiro in 2001.

Furbush (3-4) allowed one run on four hits and two walks while striking out six and improved to 2-1 in four appearances since being acquired from Detroit last month.

"I've faced these guys before, so I kind of had a few things I wanted to stick to in certain situations, with certain counts with certain hitters," said Furbush. "The changeup, curveball and slider all seemed to be pretty effective today."

Toronto, meanwhile, also won the final two games in their three-game set with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, winning Sunday's finale in thrilling fashion, as Edwin Encarnacion delivered a game-winning RBI single in the 10th inning to lift the Blue Jays to a 5-4 victory.

The Blue Jays had tied the game in the bottom of the ninth on back-to-back doubles by Colby Rasmus and Brett Lawrie, who also played defensive hero a half-inning earlier when he caught the Angels in a double rundown.

"They're a good team and they hit some pitches. That's baseball. That's the way it is," said Angels reliever Scott Downs, who pitched an inning.

Encarnacion was 2-for-5 and extended his hitting streak to 13 games.

Jon Rauch (5-3) pitched a perfect top of the 10th for the win, throwing seven of his nine pitches for strikes.

Heading to the hill for the Jays tonight will be righty Henderson Alvarez, who will be making his second big league start. Alvarez did not get a decision against Oakland on Wednesday and allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Toronto has won its last four against the Mariners after losing the first two to them this season.