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Blue Jays' Romero aims to extend win streak vs. Mariners

Apr 27, 2012 - 3:08 PM (Sports Network) - Lefty Ricky Romero can continue a streaking start tonight when the Toronto Blue Jays head home to Rogers Centre to begin a three-game weekend series with the Seattle Mariners.

The Blue Jays enter after a three-game tailspin in Baltimore, which ended in a series sweep on Thursday when Adam Jones and Chris Davis homered in a three- run eighth inning, pushing the Orioles past Toronto, 5-2.

Casey Janssen (1-1) was charged with two runs while recording just two outs for the Blue Jays, who had won four in a row prior to the series.

Drew Hutchison got the start, going five-plus frames and serving up six hits and two runs.

Romero pitched five innings for a no-decision in his initial outing of the season but has since won three straight - defeating Boston, Tampa Bay and Cleveland while surrendering 16 hits and six runs in 20 1/3 innings.

The 27-year-old Californian was a 14-game winner for Toronto in 2010 and won 15 last season while tossing a career-high 225 innings with 178 strikeouts.

In 27 1/3 innings so far this season, he's allowed 10 runs on 19 hits.

The Mariners reply with young righty Blake Beavan, who starts for the 19th time overall and fourth time in 2012.

The 23-year-old was the 17th overall pick of the 2007 draft by the Texas Rangers but ultimately reached the majors with Seattle after he was acquired in a 2010 deal that sent Cliff Lee to the Rangers.

He was 5-6 in 15 games in 2011 with a 4.27 earned run average in 97 innings and has allowed seven runs in 19 1/3 innings this season.

He's allowed no more than three runs while pitching at least six innings in all three outings.

He lost his only meeting with Toronto on Aug. 17, 2011 after allowing five runs in five innings of a 5-1 loss.

On Thursday in Detroit, Chone Figgins' seventh-inning RBI double broke a tie and Seattle swept its three-game set with the Tigers in 5-4 fashion.

Justin Smoak broke an 0-for-15 spell with a first-inning three-run homer, Miguel Olivo added a solo shot and Charlie Furbush (1-1) fanned two around a groundout in the sixth to get the win.

Brandon League allowed two singles in the ninth but got Alex Avila to ground into a game-ending double play to record his seventh save in eight opportunities.

"They came back at us and we were able to counterpunch. That's what you have got to do," said Smoak.

Starter Hector Noesi allowed no hits through four innings but was tagged for four runs on five hits in the next inning-plus to receive a no-decision.

The Blue Jays won six of nine over the Mariners last season, sweeping the three-game series in Toronto.