Seattle @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 13, 2014 ) Toronto 0, Seattle 2

The Seattle Mariners look to dust themselves off after a rough series in Houston when they continue the last road trip of the season Monday with the first of four against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Mariners dropped two of three to the also-ran Astros to fall 1 1/2 games behind in the race for the American League's second wild card with seven games to play. Five Seattle pitchers were knocked around in an 8-3 setback on Sunday, dropping the club to 3-4 on its current 11-game excursion.

The Blue Jays' wild-card hopes were virtually washed away when they dropped three of four at the New York Yankees over the weekend, capped by Sunday's 5-2 defeat. Toronto has dropped seven of its last eight to sink 6 1/2 games back in the race for the last postseason spot, all but sealing its 20th consecutive non-strike year without a playoff berth. The Mariners outscored the Blue Jays by a 19-4 margin in sweeping three straight at home in August.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), SNET (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH James Paxton (6-3, 2.06 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (9-11, 4.35)

Paxton is a remarkable 9-3 with a 1.91 ERA through his first 15 career starts even after suffering a tough loss at the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday. He let up three runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings while striking out eight batters for the second straight start. The 25-year-old Canadian, who has not allowed a home run in 49 1/3 innings over his last eight appearances, will be making his first career start north of the border.

Happ has lost three straight decisions and six of his last seven after giving up four earned runs in six innings of a 6-1 setback at Baltimore on Wednesday. He has posted five straight quality starts at home and owns a solid 3.23 ERA in 13 games (12 starts) at the Rogers Centre. Happ has been reached for 12 runs in 10 innings over two career starts against Seattle.

WALK-OFFS

1. Blue Jays SS Jose Reyes is 15-for-35 over an eight-game stretch.

2. Mariners 1B Logan Morrison is 5-for-11 with two doubles and four RBIs against Happ.

3. Seattle needs one more road win to reach 46, which would be the second-highest total in team history behind the 59 it recorded during its 116-win effort in 2001.

PREDICTION: Mariners 4, Blue Jays 3