Mariners vs. Blue Jays Preview
TORONTO (AP) – Nothing seems to be going right for the hapless Seattle Mariners of late. Facing the hot-hitting Toronto Blue Jays certainly isn’t helping their cause.
The visiting Mariners try and avoid matching their longest losing streak in nearly three years and a three-game sweep at the hands of the Blue Jays on Thursday.
According to MLB odds and oddsmakers from online sports book Bodog have made the Blue Jays -176 money line favorites for Thursday’s game against the Mariners. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 65% of more than 817 bets for this game have been placed on the Blue Jays -176.
Despite scoring at least five runs in back-to-back games for the first time since June 2-3, Seattle’s season-worst skid reached 11 after surrendering its second-highest run total of the year during Wednesday’s 11-6 loss. The Mariners (43-54), who have been outscored 58-22 during their funk, haven’t lost 12 in a row since Sept. 11-22, 2008.
“Somebody’s got to step up and do something about it because I know we’re not satisfied with this, I know (manager Eric Wedge is) not satisfied with this, the staff, (GM) Jack (Zduriencik), everybody,” catcher Josh Bard said. “This is not OK, and nobody thinks that. When it’s not OK, you’ve got to do something different.”
Seattle could start by slowing down the surging Travis Snider, who hit one of three Toronto homers and drove in a career best-tying five runs Wednesday to help manager John Farrell’s club win for the seventh time in nine games. The Blue Jays own a .302 average and have scored 7.3 runs per contest during their run.
Since getting recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on July 4, Snider has gone 20 for 56 (.357) with two homers and 17 RBIs – the most in the majors over that span.
Ricky Romero (7-9, 3.18 ERA), meanwhile, is hoping for similar offensive support as he tries to bounce back from a disappointing stretch.
Romero, who compiled a 1.95 ERA and lasted at least seven innings in nine straight starts from May 13-June 26, hasn’t made it past the seventh in any of his last three. He’s gone 0-2 with a 6.32 ERA in those games.
“That happens to guys,” Farrell told MLB.com. “They go through stretches where their touch and their feel isn’t quite as consistent.”
The left-hander gave up four runs and six hits with three walks in five innings of Saturday’s 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees – his first appearance since taking part in last week’s All-Star festivities.
“If anything I felt like I needed a little bit of a rest,” said Romero, who had gone 3-0 with a 1.91 ERA during his previous four home starts. “It was a long first half. For me I felt good, I was just a little wild, I wasn’t myself.”
Romero threw a five-hit complete-game loss April 12 at Safeco Field in a 3-2 defeat, dropping to 1-1 with a 3.33 ERA over four career meetings in this series.
Seattle counters with Doug Fister (3-11, 3.18), who knows all too well of his team’s offensive woes – the right-hander is getting an MLB-low 2.03 runs of support per game.
Despite recording an impressive 3.12 ERA over his last eight games, Fister is trying to avoid a career high-tying seventh consecutive loss after yielding four runs in 7 2-3 innings of a 4-0 defeat to Texas on Friday.
“Doug Fister gave us every opportunity to win that ballgame and deserves better,” Wedge said.
Fister is 0-2 with a 4.30 ERA lifetime versus the Blue Jays. While he’s limited both Aaron Hill and Adam Lind to one hit in seven at-bats, Fister isn’t likely looking forward to facing Rajai Davis, who is 9 for 22 (.409) against him.
The Mariners have a 5.02 staff ERA in losing seven of eight at Rogers Centre.
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