Offline
BALTIMORE -- The percentages weighed heavily against Robinson Cano as he stepped into the batters box against Miguel Gonzalez in the fifth inning of a tie game. Cold numbers were rendered completely meaningless by the Seattle slugger, who provided the struggling Mariners with a pivotal three-run homer in a 6-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night. Cano was 2 for 23 lifetime against Gonzalez (5-6) before driving a split-finger fastball into the seats in right field to put the Mariners up 4-1. It was his eighth home run of the year, the first in 15 games since July 12. "I had success with it throughout my career against him," Gonzalez said. "So I decided to throw that pitch. But it just stayed up, middle." When Cano gets his bat on a mistake of a pitch, the results are usually predictable -- regardless of who throws it. "He was sharp," Cano said of Gonzalez. "It was only just that pitch that, he just threw it middle of the plate and I was able to make a good swing." It was enough to give Seattle its eighth win in 21 games since July 7. The Mariners had scored two runs or fewer in seven of their previous 10 games, but the recent addition of Austin Jackson, Kendrys Morales, Chris Taylor and Chris Denorfia has provided hope that things will soon change. "We dont have the big bopper in the middle of our lineup, obviously, but weve got some guys that are professional hitters and know the strike zone and know what they can do up there," manager Lloyd McClendon said. Caleb Joseph homered and Manny Machado had three hits for the Orioles, whose previous seven games were decided by one run. Coming off a 14-week stay on the disabled list with a strained back muscle, Seattle starter James Paxton gave up two runs in 4 1-3 innings. Relievers Dominic Leone (4-2), Brandon Maurer, Yoervis Medina, Charlie Furbush and Fernando Rodney followed with a combined 4 2-3 innings of four-hit ball. With the score 1-all in the fifth, Jackson got his first hit with the Mariners, a single. He took third on a double by Dustin Ackley and scored when Cano hammered the 1-1 offering from Gonzalez. "It cost us the game," Joseph said. In another situation, perhaps Cano would have received a free pass. But given the numbers ... "Just trusting Miggy there," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "Hes made a lot of good pitches and had a lot of success against him, and it just didnt work out." Joseph homered in the bottom half to hasten Paxtons exit. Morales made it 6-2 with a two-run single in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Ryan Flaherty singled in a run in the bottom half, but Rodney retired Machado with two outs and runners on the corners. Paxton faced only two batters before falling behind. Nick Markakis drew a leadoff walk and scored on a double by Machado. Ackley tied it in the third with his sixth home run, the first of his three hits. TRAINING ROOM Mariners: Seattle placed DH Corey Hart on the 15-day DL with a bruised right knee. Orioles: First baseman Chris Davis did not start because hes still feeling the effects of a stomach virus, Showalter said. Davis was in an 0-for-11 skid before flying out as a pinch-hitter in the eighth. ON DECK Mariners: Seattle calls upon right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma (9-5), who has a 32-16 lifetime record but allowed four runs over seven innings in a loss to Baltimore last week. Orioles: Chris Tillman, who began his professional career in the Mariners organization, seeks to go 6-0 lifetime against Seattle. BACK IN ACTION Paxton hadnt pitched since April 8, so even though he didnt make it through five innings there was cause for optimism. "We thought he would be a little bit pumped up, over-amped a little bit and probably a little rusty," McClendon said. "Once the game got going, I thought he was extremely efficient. The breaking ball started to come around." So did the fastball. "As he got his lather going, you saw the velocity go up to 98, and we started to feel pretty good." Authentic UCLA Jerseys .Impact president Joey Saputo confirmed Thursday that he is part of a group of investors whose offer to buy the 105-year-old Italian club was accepted by the teams board of directors. Stitched UCLA Jerseys . Mike Babcock has turned to the Montreal Canadiens goalie over Roberto Luongo, who backed Canada to a gold medal in Vancouver in 2010, for Canadas final preliminary round game against the ailing Finns. ) - Eric Fehrs goal 42 seconds into overtime lifted the Washington Capitals to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Columbus, halting the Blue Jackets seven-game win streak. Lonzo Ball College Jersey .com) - Minnesota Vikings fans would surely concede Teddy Bridgewater is not Peyton Manning. Brett Hundley College Jersey . - Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II says the NFL has told the team it will not be docked a pick in this years draft for coach Mike Tomlins foray onto the field against Baltimore last November.(SportsNetwork.com) - Dallas Cowboys special teams player C.J. Spillman is being investigated for an alleged sexual assault, according to the New York Daily News. Police in Grapevine, Texas, told the Daily News that Spillman is being investigated for sexually assaulting a woman at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, the Cowboys official hotel, on Sept. 20. Spillman played in the teams game against the St. Louis Rams the following day. The alleged aattack came just a day after NFL commissioner Roger Goodells news conference during which he promised to improve the leagues personal conduct policy based on recent events.dddddddddddd Several NFL players have been in trouble with the law recently, including Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson and Greg Hardy. Spillman, a reserve defensive back, is in his sixth season and first with the Cowboys. He previously played for the San Diego Chargers and San Francisco 49ers. Authentic Nike Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Tennessee Titans Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Washington Redskins Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Arizona Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Denver Broncos Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Green Bay Packers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Los Angeles Chargers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike New England Patriots Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Oakland Raiders Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Seattle Seahawks Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Carolina Panthers Jerseys Cheap Authentic Nike Cleveland Browns Jerseys Cheap Cheap Throwback Baseball Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Atlanta Braves Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Baltimore Orioles Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Boston Red Sox Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Chicago Cubs Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Chicago White Sox Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Cincinnati Reds Jerseys Cheap Throwback Baseball Cleveland Indians Jerseys ' ' '