Toronto @ Seattle preview

T-Mobile Park

Last Meeting ( May 19, 2010 ) Toronto 3, Seattle 2

One run has been a huge difference for the Seattle Mariners in 2010.

Last season the Mariners went 35-20 in one-run games and it was key to a surprising 85-77 record a year after a disastrous 61-101 mark in 2008.

Seattle is 4-11 in one-run games so far this year, the worst in the majors. Six of their last seven games have been decided by one run, and they are 1-5 in those games, including Wednesday night’s 3-2 loss to Toronto.

The Mariners hope to get some early runs and their current five-game losing streak when they end their two-game series with the Blue Jays today in a 12:40 p.m. local start time at Safeco Field.

The Mariners activated combustible outfielder Milton Bradley on Wednesday from the restricted list, where he had been placed May 6 to deal with stress and other undisclosed personal issues. Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said Bradley’s presence added a “buzz” to the team’s locker room. Bradley had two hits Wednesday night.

Bradley said he continues to receive counseling and was grateful for the overwhelming positive response from fans as he works out his issues.

Toronto, meanwhile, continues its impressive road record, a major-league best 14-6. The Blue Jays have had to play well just to keep up in the mighty AL East. The Blue Jays (25-17) have the fourth-best record in the American League but are third in the East, five games behind leader Tampa Bay.

While the Blue Jays can expect solid numbers from Vernon Wells, Jose Bautista, Alex Gonzalez and Fred Lewis among others, they have gotten surprisingly good production from catcher John Buck.

Buck, the No. 8 hitter, extended his hitting streak to a career-best 10 games with a single Wednesday. He is hitting .419 during the streak and has an overall .602 slugging percentage well above his career average of .417.

Seattle got 10 hits Wednesday, but nine were singles, and they seem unlikely to break out of their offensive funk against left-hander Ricky Romero (4-1, 2.88 ERA).

Romero threw a five-hit shutout Saturday against Texas, struck out a career-high 12 and walked just one. He said after that game that all of his pitches were spot on.

He has faced the Mariners just twice, going 1-0 with a 5.11 ERA.

Seattle will go with another lefty, Jason Vargas, who like many Mariners pitchers has seen his quality starts come without much run support. In four of his seven starts, the Mariners have scored two runs or fewer.

Vargas allowed two runs on four hits against Tampa Bay on Saturday, but settled for a no-decision in a 3-2 Seattle loss.

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