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Wells, Blue Jays open three-game series against Mariners

Jun 9, 2008 - 1:22 PM Seattle (22-41) at Toronto (33-32), 7:07 EDT

TORONTO (Ticker) -- Now that he is back from injury, Vernon Wells will try to continue his hitting streak when the Toronto Blue Jays host the Seattle Mariners on Monday in the opener of a three-game series.

Wells, who missed nearly a month with a fractured right wrist, is currently on a nine-game hitting streak that dates back to May 2. The three-time Gold Glove winner is batting .301 with six home runs and 26 RBI this season.

Marco Scutaro broke a tie with a sacrifice fly in a three-run sixth inning as the Blue Jays edged the Baltimore Orioles, 5-4, on Sunday. The win snapped Toronto's four-game losing streak.

The Mariners have posted a 1-6 record during June and are trying to avoid their third straight loss. Seattle managed just three hits Sunday en route to a 2-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

Jarrod Washburn (2-7, 6.56 ERA), who is currently on a three-game losing streak, will take the hill for the Mariners. He surrendered four runs and nine hits with three walks and four strikeouts over 5 1/3 frames in last Monday's 4-2 setback to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

The Blue Jays will counter with righthander Jesse Litsch (7-2, 3.45), who had a five-game winning streak snapped in his last outing - a 5-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Wednesday. He gave up four runs and 10 hits with two walks and a strikeout over 5 1/3 innings.