Seattle @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 23, 2014 ) Seattle 2, Toronto 10

The Seattle Mariners are fading at the worst time and watching their chances of landing an American League wild-card spot diminish. Seattle is three games behind the Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics with five games remaining as it visits the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday. Toronto has won the first two contests of the four-game set by a combined 24-6 to continue the misery of the Mariners, who have lost four straight and 10 of their last 14 games.

Seattle’s pitching has been torched regularly during the four-game skid by allowing 42 runs and staff ace Felix Hernandez was pounded for eight runs by the Blue Jays on Tuesday. “We’re not play well right now,” Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon told reporters. “A lot of things are going wrong but we’re still alive.” Toronto slugger Edwin Encarnacion homered and drove in four runs in Tuesday’s 10-2 victory and is three RBIs away from his third straight 100-RBI campaign.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Taijuan Walker (2-2, 3.00 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Mark Buehrle (12-10, 3.53)

Walker is making his fifth start of this season and eighth of his big-league career. He defeated Houston in his last outing when he gave up two runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. Walker has struck out 28 in 30 innings but has also issued 17 bases on balls.

Buehrle has won just one of his last nine starts as he faded after a strong first half. He lost to the New York Yankees in his last turn when he gave up five runs and eight hits in six innings. Buehrle is 7-4 with a 3.82 ERA in 17 appearances (16 starts) against Seattle.

WALK-OFFS

1. Toronto RF Jose Bautista is 5-for-6 with two walks, a homer and six runs scored in the first two games of the series.

2. Seattle CF Austin Jackson is 9-for-21 against Buehrle, and 2B Robinson Cano is 9-for-26 with three homers and 11 RBIs.

3. Toronto SS Jose Reyes is 18-for-49 with 10 runs scored over the last 11 games.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 6, Mariners 4