SEATTLE -- With the Seattle Mariners making a push for their first playoff appearance since 2001, Kendrys Morales might be the perfect hitter to help make it happen. Morales, acquired from Minnesota before the trade deadline, hit a two-run home run in the first inning to back a stellar start by Hisashi Iwakuma and lead the Mariners to a 2-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night. Morales homer was his second in three at-bats, a span that started Tuesday night, and helped Seattle complete a sweep of the three-game series. Morales has four extra-base hits in three games, twice what he recorded in his first 15 games with the club since joining the team. "He brought it as soon as he got here -- respectability, stretch the lineup out," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He hasnt got the results he wanted, but I was happy to see him in there right from the start." Iwakuma (11-6) failed to finish seven innings for the first time in eight starts, but the right-hander still struck out five without issuing a walk in 6 2-3 innings. It is the seventh time in that stretch Iwakuma has allowed two runs or fewer. "Its a big series," Iwakuma said through an interpreter. "Winning two ... was big and I needed to finish up the series strong." Three relievers bridged the gap to closer Fernando Rodney, who earned his 35th save in 38 chances. The Mariners won eight of nine on their homestand and remained tied with Detroit for the American Leagues second wild card. The Blue Jays lost for the ninth time in 12 games to drop three games behind the final playoff berth. "We have been streaky, both good and bad, and we are due for a good one," Toronto starter R.A. Dickey said. Dickey (9-12) was shaky at times, but only allowed two runs and seven hits with four walks in six innings. The Mariners threatened on numerous occasions to extend the lead, but Dickey was able to strand at least two runners three separate times. The third proved to be the veterans greatest escape act, perhaps, as he avoided a one-out runners-on-the-corners situation by inducing a double-play grounder. TRAINERS ROOM Mariners: OF Michael Saunders will return to Triple-A Tacoma to continue his rehab assignment after leaving the team to attend the birth of his second child, a son. Saunders, on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique, will need more at-bats in the minors before rejoining the Mariners. Blue Jays: 1B Edwin Encarnacion (strained right quadriceps) went 1 for 4 while playing all nine innings in the field on Wednesday for Triple-A Buffalo, which keeps him on track to rejoin the team on Friday in Chicago. UP NEXT Mariners: Seattle looks to continue its strong play in Detroit on Friday as left-hander James Paxton, 5-0 in his career, makes the start. Blue Jays: After a miserable start to an eight-game road swing, Toronto will get a day off before attempting to capture its first win of the trip against the White Sox. MORALES HITS TORONTO Morales is hitting .440 (11 for 25) with two home runs and six RBI against the Blue Jays this year, and is just .198 (39 for 197) against all other teams. SHUTDOWN PITCHING The Mariners extended their club record to 12 consecutive games allowing three runs or fewer. Their previous high was nine games, done from June 1-11, 2009. ROAD BLUES The Blue Jays have lost six straight road games and have five more on the trip before returning to Toronto. Buffalo Sabres Store . The Sioux Falls Canaries scored two in the seventh and three more in the eighth to come back from a 3-0 deficit and defeat the Winnipeg Goldeyes 5-3 in front of 6,769 at Shaw Park on Sunday afternoon. Cheap Sabres Jerseys .com) - Nicolas Colsaerts fired an 11-under 60 on Thursday and grabbed a 3-stroke lead with the opening round of the Portugal Masters suspended by rain. https://www.cheapsabres.com/ . Im very excited about the playoffs, particularly in the Western Conference with amazing match-ups, as well as the wonderful local story in the Toronto Raptors. It should be a blast. Here are my predictions, but based upon my lousy prognostications during the NCAA Tournament, you might be better off going the other way on some of mine - particularly with the Raptors, who I hope and pray are able to win an incredibly difficult match-up. Buffalo Sabres Gear . - Connor McDavid scored twice and added two assists as the Erie Otters beat the Sarnia Sting 7-3 on Saturday night in Ontario Hockey League action. Buffalo Sabres Shirts .com) - Ben Lovejoy tallied a goal and an assist as the Anaheim Ducks cruised into the All-Star break with a 6-3 victory against the Calgary Flames.After three relief appearances to start his 2014 season, Toronto Bluie Jays pitcher J.A. Happ is coming off his first start of the year, a win at Philadelphia Monday. The former Phillie allowed three hits in five scoreless frames of a 3-0 triumph. Happ has faced the Angels once in his career when he allowed six hits and four runs -- three earned -- over 4 1/3 innings of Torontos 4-3 home loss on Sept. 12, 2013. Happs counterpart, Tyler Skaggs, has 19 starts under his belt in his major league career and hes yet to lose on the road. Skaggs tries to keep that mark unblemished when the Los Angeles Angels continue their four-games series with the Blue Jays Saturday afternoon. The 22-year-old left-hander is 2-0 in five career road starts, compared to a 3-7 ledger in 14 home outings. In his most recent start, Sunday at home against Texas, Skaggs was shelled to the tune of eight hits and six runs over 2 2/3 innings of a 14-3 defeat. Both of Skaggs road wins have come this season and hes given up just two earned runs in 15 innings. The Angels won each of Skaggs first six starts this season before falling to Texas. Hes never faced the Blue Jays. Last night, Erick Aybar hit two doubles, a triple and scored twice to help the Angels squeak out a 4-3 win. Mike Trout smacked a solo homer and Howie Kendrick added two hits and aan RBI for the Angels, who have won eight of their last nine against Toronto.dddddddddddd. Efren Navarro, who was called up prior to the game, had two doubles and a run scored. Los Angeles starter Garrett Richards worked seven frames, fanning six and allowing two runs on five hits. Joe Smith (2-0) allowed one run in one inning to receive the win and Ernesto Frieri picked up his fourth save, setting down the side in order in the ninth. "Ive been working on my breaking ball (and) my fastball command," said Frieri. "I think I did a pretty good job today with my fastball and slider. I need to keep doing that for the rest of the season to be successful." Jose Reyes went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and two runs scored and Melky Cabrera had two hits and scored a run for the Blue Jays, who saw starter Dustin McGowan allow two runs on seven hits and two walks through five innings. "We got through it. I didnt have any slider at all," said McGowan. "Luckily the changeup got me through and its just one of those games you go out there and give it everything you got." Brett Cecil (0-3) suffered the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in his one inning on the hill. The Angels went 6-1 last season versus the Blue Jays, sweeping a three-game set in Toronto. ' ' 'antasy on Facebook. ' ' '