The Mariners racked up a season-high 19 hits in a blowout victory over the Blue Jays in Toronto.
Toronto – With hitting coach Edgar Martinez off to Cooperstown to join in the celebrations for Ken Griffey Jr.’s Hall of Fame induction, the Mariners put on an offensive onslaught of which he would very much approve.
Nelson Cruz had his 20th career multi-homer game and drove in seven runs while Kyle Seager added his 19th homer of the season in the sixth inning as the Mariners thumped the Blue Jays, 14-5, on Saturday afternoon at Rogers Centre.
Against the unpredictable knuckleball of R.A. Dickey, every Mariners starter picked up a hit as they chased the Blue Jays’ starter in the fourth and pummeled the Jays’ bullpen after that. Their 19 hits topped their previous season high of 17.
“I don’t remember the last time I had that many runners on base,” Cruz said. “It’s always nice to have that chance to deliver in that situation.”
Unlike Friday’s 2-1 win over Toronto when Seattle stranded 10 men on base, they had no problem cashing in runners.
“You prepare every day to have good games,” Cruz added. “It doesn’t necessarily happen. More likely you prepare, you’re more likely to have success.”
Hisashi Iwakuma went six innings and gave up two runs on four hits as the Mariners picked up their 50th win of the season and won the crucial series against a team they’re chasing in the AL wild crd race.
It wasn’t Iwakuma’s best outing, but the early run support allowed the reliable Iwakuma to settle down and find a groove. He’s now 5-0 in his last five starts with a 2.50 ERA in that span.
“He’s been our most consistent guy all year, there’s no doubt,” manager Scott Servais said.
“He had a hard time finding a rhythm and then he kind of found it and got through it for us. When the offense gives you a little cushion like that, it sort of helps and I think he relaxed when we got a few runs up on the board.”
The Mariners are now 3 1/2 games behind of Toronto for the second AL wild-card spot and will look for the sweep on Sunday afternoon. Seattle also sits 5.5 games behind the Texas Rangers in the AL West.
Toronto took the lead in the second with a sacrifice fly, but Cruz hit is ninth-career grand slam to dead center field in the third on a 1-2 pitch after Dickey hit back-to-back hitters to load the bases.
Seager’s homer drove in Seth Smith, capping off a sixth inning where the Mariners scored five times and sent eight batters to the plate.
Cruz knocked in another three runs in the eighth when he turned on a 2-1 pitch from Drew Storen. It was the 13th time in club history a player drove in seven runs.
Nori Aoki drove in a pair of runs while Seth Smith drove in one.
Wade LeBlanc gave up two homers but still picked up the rare three-inning save.