Mariners 7, Blue Jays 2
Jason Vargas won his fifth consecutive start and Dustin Ackley had three RBIs as host Seattle stretched its season-best winning streak to six games.
Vargas (12-7) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings while beating Toronto for the first time in six career starts. He struck out four and walked one.
Ackley led off the bottom of the first with a homer against Aaron Laffey (2-2) and twice drove in runs on fielder’s choices. Miguel Olivo added a two-run single for the Mariners, who have won 13 of their last 19 games.
Toronto has scored just four runs while losing three consecutive games as the Blue Jays continue to play without injured slugger Jose Bautista.
Vargas went 5-0 with a 1.64 ERA in six July starts. Shawn Kelley and Josh Kinney each pitched a scoreless inning after Vargas’ departure as Seattle improved to 7-2 on the homestand.
Trayvon Robinson and Brendan Ryan had run-scoring singles in a three-run third inning that boosted Seattle’s lead to 4-0.
Brett Lawrie smacked a two-run double in the third for Toronto’s runs.
Olivo’s fifth-single increased Seattle’s lead to 7-2.
Laffey allowed seven runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Seattle finished July with a 15-11 mark for its first winning month since compiling the same record in May 2011. … Toronto recalled OF Moises Sierra on Tuesday. He singled to center in the third in his first major-league at-bat. … Ryan had his first three-hit game of the season to raise his average to .205, the first time he has been at .200 or better since April 21. … Reliever Steve Delabar pitched a scoreless inning in his Toronto debut one day after being traded by Seattle for OF Eric Thames.