LaberFred » encouraged to shoot more this season.COACHS KID: If thin

BALTIMORE -- The Seattle Mariners finally got some pitching to back up a strong showing by their potent offence, and the result was a long overdue victory. Michael Saunders homered twice and drove in five runs, Erasmo Ramirez retired 18 of the first 20 batters he faced and the Mariners beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-4 Saturday night to end a four-game losing streak. Saunders hit a three-run drive in the fifth and added a clinching two-run shot in the ninth. It was his fifth career two-homer game, the second this season. Justin Smoak homered and went 3 for 3 with two walks for the Mariners, who had lost 10 of their previous 12 games against Baltimore. Brad Miller had three hits and Kendrys Morales singled twice in his fifth straight multihit game. Seattle scored 24 runs in its previous four games -- all of them defeats, including 11-8 to Baltimore on Friday night. "Weve been swinging the bat really well lately," Saunders said. "We lost a couple heartbreakers, played well in Boston although we got swept. We were able to put up some runs tonight, Erasmo did a great job on the mound and went deep in the ballgame, which is huge for us because weve been using our bullpen quite a bit the last handful of games." Ramirez (3-0) gave up four runs and four hits in six-plus innings to win his third straight start. The right-hander struck out six and walked none. "Everybody (contributed) something in the game and maybe that was the reason we won today," Ramirez said. Solo home runs by Matt Wieters and Manny Machado were the only flaws in his performance through the sixth. He was lifted after giving up two hits to open the seventh. Both runners ultimately scored to cut the Mariners lead to 6-4. Danny Farquhar got four outs for his first major league save. Seattle got 15 hits and drew seven walks. If not for a 5-for-18 performance with runners in scoring position, the Mariners would have easily scored in double digits and wouldnt have needed Saunders second homer to breath easily. "Were always looking to extend the lead, obviously," Saunders said. "To get a couple more cushion runs in the ninth there Im sure took some pressure off Farquhar." Making his sixth start with Baltimore since being traded from the Cubs, Scott Feldman (2-3) allowed five runs, seven hits and four walks in 4 2-3 innings. That was the beginning of a horrid night for Baltimore pitching. "We were fortunate, they could have scored a lot more runs," manager Buck Showalter said. Baltimore shortstop J.J. Hardy missed his first game of the year after Showalter opted to give him a day off. Hardy and Machado had started 150 consecutive games together on the left side of the infield, the fourth-longest streak since 1946, according to STATS. Seattle took control with a four-run fifth that made it 6-2. With two outs and a runner on second, Michael Morse hit a broken-bat RBI single. Smoak followed with a single to chase Feldman, and Saunders greeted T.J. McFarland with his ninth home run, the second in two nights. Showalter was ejected by home plate umpire Larry Vanover in the seventh for arguing a called strike on Nick Markakis. After the ejection, Markakis singled and went to third on a double by Adam Jones before Charlie Furbush gave up a sacrifice fly to Chris Davis and an RBI single to Wieters. Saunders second homer of the game short-circuited the comeback bid. Feldman got off a shaky start, allowing a leadoff single and a walk before striking out Raul Ibanez with two outs and runners at second and third. In the second, Smoak drove a hanging curveball over the right-field wall. Wieters answered in the bottom half, ending an 0-for-25 drought with his 15th home run. Ibanez stranded two more runners in the third, but Seattle went up 2-1 in the fourth. With the bases loaded and one out, Miller hit an opposite-field bloop to left that dropped in front of Nate McLouth. All three runners went halfway down the basepaths, uncertain if the ball would be caught, and Smoak was thrown out on a rare 7-5 force that produced a run. Machado tied it in the Orioles half with his 10th home run. NOTES: Machado hit his major league-leading 40th double, his first in 23 games since July 6, in the eighth. ... Orioles RHP Jason Hammel, whos on the DL with a right flexor mass strain, had an MRI that revealed inflammation of the ulnar nerve. "It came back as about as good as it could have been," he said. ... Orioles 2B Brian Roberts became a father Saturday. The couple named the boy Jax, and Showalter says Roberts could return from paternity leave on Sunday. ... Former Orioles pitcher Joe Saunders will start the series finale Sunday for the Mariners. Baltimore will counter with LHP Wei-Yin Chen. ... Seattles Nick Franklin went 0 for 4 and is hitless in his last 21 at-bats. ... Kyle Seager walked twice, but his 10-game hitting streak against the Orioles ended. ... After the game, the Orioles optioned RHP Steve Johnson to Triple-A. Cheap Reds Jerseys . Breaking three of his own world records on his way to winning in Paris, Chan silenced the critics and left the audiences standing in appreciation and awe. Cincinnati Reds Shirts . According to a report from the Winnipeg Free Press, the Bombers will name Acting GM Kyle Walters to the post full time. https://www.cheapredsjerseys.us/ . Oaklands loss to Seattle clinched the ALs best record for the Red Sox with one day to spare in the regular season. "I think everybody was kind of watching," catcher David Ross said. "Demp (Ryan Dempster) came out before he went to the bullpen and was just yelling that they lost. Cincinnati Reds Store . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. Fake Reds Jerseys . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Kentucky coach John Calipari once again must figure out how to use his latest talented freshman class, which this year is big and fills voids at many positions.All of which means another season of high expectations at a school where a national championship is always the standard.After finishing 27-9 and losing in the NCAA Tournaments round of 32 last spring, Kentucky appears capable of contending for a ninth NCAA title. This despite losing six players including several regulars such as Associated Press All-American guards Tyler Ulis and Jamal Murray, who combined to average 37 points per game last season, and 6-foot-11 Skal Labissiere.Kentucky landed guards DeAaron Fox and Malik Monk, both 6-foot-3 high school All-Americans who join sophomore Isaiah Briscoe (9.9 points, 5.3 rebounds per game) in the backcourt. All can handle the ball and shoot, giving Calipari some options, compared with last years squad run by Ulis.This team will probably have three guys having the ball, and well play off them, Calipari said. One may have it more, but the other two are going to have it a significant amount of time. So that makes it different.But this recruiting class is all about the bigs with the additions of Edrice Bam Adebayo and Sacha Killeya-Jones -- a pair of 610 All-Americans -- and 69 Wenyen Gabriel.Adebayo has an NBA body and is fierce around the basket on both ends of the floor. Killeya-Jones and Gabriel are long and guard the rim as well.The Wildcats also return size with 7-footer Isaac Humphries and 610 redshirt freshman Tai Wynyard, giving Kentucky its tallest frontcourt since the 38-1 team that reached the Final Four two years ago. Nobodys making that grand comparison yet as the team works to form chemistry.We all want the same dream, so we just try to accomplish it together, Monk said. Its easy to sacrifice if you have great players around you.Other things to watch in Kentucky this season:MATURE BRISCOE: Isaiah Briscoe worked out with NBA teams last spring to gauuge his pro prospects before returning for his sophomore season .dddddddddddd Hes more seasoned by the experience, and more muscular. The biggest benefits might be his improved shooting -- which Kentucky needs from him after an inconsistent freshman season -- and his eagerness to lead. It forced me to grow up, Briscoe said of the process. Being one of the few guys to come back (under Calipari), Ill be able to lead these guys.BLUEGRASS GRAYBEARDS: Kentucky has seniors for the second straight season, both of whom could play bigger roles. Forward Derek Willis is working to add defense to his game after averaging career bests of 7.7 points and 4.4 rebounds last season and becoming part of the rotation. Guard Dominique Hawkins just aims to stay healthy after his junior year was limited by injuries. Hes a physical defensive specialist being encouraged to shoot more this season.COACHS KID: If things get loud in Rupp near the end of a Kentucky rout, it might be fans clamoring for Calipari to put his son, Brad, on the floor. The 6-foot freshman is a walk-on with an eye toward coaching one day but figures to become a fan favorite for obvious reasons.RENOVATED RUPP: The Wildcats home begins its 40th anniversary season with a new floor and center-hung scoreboard and video screen that has replaced the Big Bertha bank of loudspeakers, which resembled an oversized pine cone. The arena has already added high-definition video boards in the corners and other electronic features to enhance the game experience.KEY GAMES: Kentuckys always-tough nonconference schedule includes matchups against Michigan State on Nov. 15 in the Champions Classic; a home game against UCLA (Dec. 3); consecutive contests against North Carolina (Dec. 17) and at archrival Louisville (Dec. 21); and a Jan. 28 home game against Kansas in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.---Online:www.collegebasketball.ap.org ' ' '