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Weaver, Mariners hope to stop skid, take on Blue Jays

Sep 2, 2007 - 2:36 PM Seattle (73-61) at Toronto (69-66), 1:07 pm EDT

TORONTO (Ticker) - The Seattle Mariners look to Jeff Weaver to stop their eight-game losing skid when they face the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday.

Seattle dropped a 2-1 decision to Toronto on Saturday to suffer its eighth consecutive loss.

The losing streak knocked the Mariners, who had trailed the AL West-leading Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim by just one game, to 6 1/2 behind the division leaders. It also dropped Seattle from a three-game lead in the AL wild card standings to two games behind the New York Yankees for the last playoff position.

The Mariners start a three-game series with the Yankees in New York on Monday.

In order to snap the slide, Seattle turns to Weaver (6-10, 5.62 ERA), who hasn't lost in more than a month.

The nine-year veteran is 4-0 in his last five starts after suffering an 8-0 defeat at the hands of the Angels on July 31. His string of consecutive wins in four straight starts came to an end last Tuesday, when the righthander allowed five runs - four earned - and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings to Anaheim. Weaver was not involved in the decision in the 10-6 loss earlier this week.

Weaver, who is 3-1 in his last five games away from home, hasn't had very good success against the Blue Jays. His is 5-10 lifetime, including 0-1 this season.

Toronto, which trails New York by 6 1/2 games in the wild card standings, turns to A.J. Burnett (7-7, 3.70), who is 1-1 in three starts against Seattle, and who also has enjoyed recent success.

The big righthander is 2-1 with a 1.63 ERA in his last four starts, including an impressive effort against Oakland last Monday, when yielded a run and four hits in seven innings. Burnett did not receive a decision in the game that the Blue Jays eventually won, 6-2.