Nelson Cruz hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the seventh inning and had four RBIs to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 6-3 victory against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon.
Kyle Seager hit two solo home runs for the Mariners, who avoided being swept by Toronto in the four-game series and snapped a five-game losing streak that equaled their worst of the season.
Toronto's Aledmys Diaz had three hits, including a home run. In the series, Diaz went 7-for-13 with three homers and five RBIs.
Seattle left-hander Zach Duke (4-4) got the victory by striking out the only batter he faced, ending the top of the seventh. Alex Colome pitched a scoreless eighth, and Edwin Diaz worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his major-league-leading 41st save.
With the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Blue Jays right-hander Joe Biagini (1-6) gave up homers to Cruz and Seager to take the loss. It was Cruz's 29th of the season and Seager's 18th.
The Mariners opened the scoring in the third. With one out, Andrew Romine walked, Denard Span grounded a single to right field and Jean Segura reached on an infield single to load the bases. An out later, Cruz grounded a ball between third and short that glanced off the end of shortstop Diaz's glove and into left field to make it 2-0.
The Blue Jays got on the scoreboard in the fifth as Diaz led off with a double to right field and scored on Luke Maile's single to center.
Seager led off the bottom of the sixth with a homer to right-center field to make it 3-1.
The Blue Jays tied it in the seventh as Yangervis Solarte led off with a line-drive single to left and Diaz followed with a two-run shot to left, his 14th.
Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision.
Toronto right-hander Sam Gaviglio, who made his major league debut with the Mariners last season, went 5 2/3 innings and gave up three runs on seven hits. He walked three and struck out seven.
Seattle right-hander Mike Leake allowed three runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out five.
--Field Level Media