Mariners 3, Blue Jays 2
TORONTO -- Left-hander James Paxton pitched six innings and third baseman Kyle Seager hit a home run as the Seattle Mariners defeated the Toronto Blue Jays, 3-2, on Saturday.
Paxton (3-2) allowed four hits, three walks and two runs while striking out four to give the Mariners victories in the first two games of the three-game series.
Right fielder Chris Colabello hit a home run for the Blue Jays, who have lost nine of their last 11 games.
Blue Jays left-hander Mark Buehrle (5-4) pitched 7 1/3 innings and allowed five hits, three walks and three runs while striking out four.
Right-hander Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his 12th save of the season.
The Blue Jays (19-26) scored a run in the first when third baseman Josh Donaldson led off with a double, took third on a wild pitch came home on first baseman Edwin Encarnacion's sacrifice fly.
Seager tied the game in the second for the Mariners (20-22) with his sixth home run of the season to extend his hitting streak to nine games.
Right fielder Willie Bloomquist hit a two-run double in the third as the Mariners took advantage of outfield misplays to take 3-1 lead.
Blue Jays right fielder Chris Colabello, possibly losing the ball in the sun, let a deep fly by shortstop Chris Taylor drop for a double. Left fielder Rickie Weeks walked and Bloomquist doubled off the wall beyond the glove of left fielder Danny Valencia, who had difficulty tracking the ball.
Colabello got one back for Toronto in the fourth when he tagged a 3-and-1 pitch to left for his third home run of the season and his second in two games.
Designated hitter Jose Bautista and Encarnacion walked to start the Toronto sixth. Catcher Russell Martin popped out and Valencia lined into a double play, with second baseman Robinson Cano making the catch and flipping the ball to Taylor.
Center fielder Justin Ruggiano led off the Seattle seventh with a walk and Buehrle hit first baseman Logan Morrison with a pitch. Catcher Mike Zunino bunted the runners to second and third.
However, Taylor hit a fly to shallow center for the second out, and Ruggiano held at third. Weeks ended the threat by grounding out to shortstop.
Right-hander Tom Wilhelmsen took over from Paxton and walked Colabello to open in the seventh before retiring the next three batters, two on strikeouts.
One of the strikeouts was against former Mariners first baseman Justin Smoak, who batted for second baseman Steve Tolleson.
Right-hander Roberto Osuna took over from Buehrle after Cano walked with one out and finished the inning.
Mariners right-hander Carson Smith pitched a 1-2-3 eighth.
NOTES: Seattle RHP Felix Hernandez allowed a home run to Toronto 1B Edwin Encarnacion in the Mariners' 4-3 victory on Friday and has given up six home runs in May after allowing one in April. ... RHP Fernando Rodney, Seattle's closer, earned his 11th save Friday despite allowing a two-run home run to INF/OF Chris Colabello. It was the fourth straight save in which Rodney allowed at least one run, and he has yielded home runs in three of them. ... INF Steve Tolleson started at second base for the Blue Jays Saturday, as he platoons with INF Munenori Kawasaki while 2B Devon Travis (inflamed left shoulder) is on the disabled list. ... Blue Jays RHP Marcus Stroman (knee surgery) is visiting the team and said he hopes to return to play in September. ... RHP Taijuan Walker (1-4, 7.47 ERA) starts the series finale for Seattle on Sunday against RHP Aaron Sanchez (3-4, 4.17 ERA).