a little more relaxed and hopefully that continues

SEATTLE -- Wade LeBlanc, Seattles latest entry in its beleaguered rotation, may not be racking up the victories in rapid fashion but the Mariners appreciate anything he can provide.LeBlanc, acquired in a trade with Toronto on June 22, was critical in the Mariners 5-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night, earning his first victory since Sept. 23, 2014.Kyle Seager and Dae-Ho Lee hit two-run homers to power the second straight victory over the American League East-leading Orioles.LeBlanc (1-0) worked six innings, giving up three hits and two runs while walking one and striking out five. He went 646 days between victories.Anytime you get a win, its fun, the 31-year-old left-hander said, whether its five days or 563 days, or however long it is. I dont take anything for granted.His last win was with the Los Angeles Angels against Oakland at the end of his 2014 season. He then played for the Seibu Lions last season and signed a minor-league deal this year with the Blue Jays. He was in the minors when the Mariners acquired him.Thats not an easy lineup to navigate through with all the power they have, but he kind of took some sting out of their bats and kept them off balance, Mariners manager Scott Servais said.The Mariners have had injuries and inconsistencies in the rotation. Ace Felix Hernandez (strain calf) is on the disabled list, Wade Miley (shoulder) just returned from the DL, Taijuan Walker missed his previous start with a sore foot and Nathan Karns has been dispatched to the bullpen.In LeBlancs debut with the Mariners on June 24, he went six innings against St. Louis, allowing three hits without a run. He had a 23 2/3 innings scoreless streak -- dating to 2014 -- entering Fridays game.Hes been phenomenal in both his starts, Seager said. The tempo he throws at, the amount of strikes he throws, the way he goes right after people. He doesnt shy away. Thats a really good offense over there. Hes giving us a chance in these games.Another newcomer, hard-throwing Edwin Diaz, promoted from Double-A Jackson June 6, is also making an impact. In the eighth, he struck out Adam Jones, Manny Machado and Chris Davis. He has 26 strikeouts in first 13 relief appearances.Youve got to tip your hat to him (LeBlanc), and their relievers. I think thats five out of seven for Diaz, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. You know why they like him so much. Hes doing a great job for them. Hes got a great young arm.Steve Cishek worked the ninth for his 20th save in 24 opportunities.Kevin Gausman (1-6) took the loss. He went six innings and allowed three runs and eight hits with no walks and seven strikeouts.He just made a couple of mistakes, Showalter said. When were not scoring runs it gets magnified.The teams traded early home runs. Seattles Seth Smith hit one in the first inning -- his eighth -- and Baltimores Davis went deep in the second -- his 20th. It was Davis 181st as an Oriole, one behind Ken Singleton for eighth place on the clubs all-time list.The Orioles took a 2-1 lead in the third on Jonathan Schoops two-out single, scoring Joey Richard from second.Nelson Cruz started the sixth with a double off the wall in right-center field. He has played 50 games against his former team and has reached base safely in 47, including 45 with at least one hit.Seager, protecting an 0-2 count, caught a high 96-mph fastball from Gausman and ripped it 15 seats into the bleachers in right. It was his 16th.In the eighth, with Cruz on first, Lee hit his 11th home run, to left field off Chaz Roe.GOING DEEP RESEARCHIn one of the more quirky and esoteric baseball stats, deep research by the Elias Sports Bureau has shown that Baltimores Hyun-Soo Kims home run Thursday meant more than just the record 56, most in major league history for June. It was the 23rd straight year the Orioles have hit at least one home run on June 30. Thats the longest home run streak by any team on any date in history.TRAINERS ROOMOrioles: Showalter said RHP Darren ODay (right hamstring strain), who has been on the DL since June 3, felt pretty good today. Thats a good sign. Hes not going backwards, just not going forward.Mariners: RHP Felix Hernandez (strained calf) threw a 23-pitch bullpen session three hours before Fridays game and was watched by more than a few club personnel. He appeared uninhibited. The plan is for him to throw a simulated game during the series in Houston followed by two rehab starts in the minors then will start after the All-Star break. Hes pretty important, Servais said. We need to get him going in the second half.UP NEXTOrioles: RHP Tyler Wilson (4-5, 4.50) has won his last two decisions, although in his previous start he allowed 10 hits and five runs in five innings of a 12-5 victory over Tampa Bay. In two career appearances against Seattle, Wilson is 0-1 with a 6.43 ERA.Mariners: LHP James Paxton (1-3, 4.15) is one of the pitchers Servais is counting on in the second half despite just one win this season. He has had one career start against Baltimore, a 4 1/3-inning no-decision. Custom Cardinals Jersey China . Jordan Lynch, the all-purpose Heisman Trophy finalist from Northern Illinois, failed to make it into that exclusive club. Custom Cardinals T-shirts . Vaives lawyer Trevor Whiffen claims the former 50-goal man wasnt provided with a copy of the claim beforehand and that he would not have agreed to the allegations made against the NHL had he been asked to review its contents. http://www.custommlbcardinalsjersey.com/ . Ivanovic was leading 7-5, 1-0 when Hantuchova withdrew after falling 0-40 behind in the second game. The match started slowly for Ivanovic, who surrendered her first two serves as Hantuchova took a 5-3 lead. Custom Ozzie Smith Jersey . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap. Authentic Custom Cardinals Jersey . Jon Montgomerys gold medal in skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre and his subsequent auctioning off of a pitcher of beer in the village square elevated him to folk-hero status. ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals bats have picked a bad time to go cold.Jon Lester pitched eight dominant innings and the Chicago Cubs beat St. Louis 7-0 on Wednesday to clinch a playoff berth.Lester gave up three hits, and the Cardinals totaled only 11 while dropping two of three in the series.Weve got to figure out ways to grind through at-bats. I think thats one of our priorities right now, just to figure out how to get those tough-fought at-bats from top to bottom, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. Thats the type of team we can be and then we can jump up and surprise some people with the long ball.All five of the Cardinals runs in the series came on homers.Brandon Moss tipped his cap to Lester.Today was one of those days were he had both (pitches) working and he wasnt missing over the middle and he was even throwing some curveballs and changeups to keep you off of everything, Moss said.Anthony Rizzo hit a pair of home runs as the Cubs improved their major league-best record to 93-52 and lowered their magic number to one for clinching their first NL Central title since 2008. They can wrap up the division crown Thursday night with a win at home over Milwaukee or a St. Louis loss in San Francisco.Chicago secured at least a wild card because the four-game series between the Cardinals and Giants makes it impossible for both to catch the Cubs in the standings.The Cardinals remained a half-game behind the New York Mets and one game back of the Giants for the two NL wild cards.St. Louis starter Carlos Martinez (14-8) gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings.Martinez started off strong, striking out the side in the first and four of the first six batters he faced. Five of his nine strikeouts came on called third strikes. He entered the game having allowed just 12 homers this season and his home run per nine innings average of 0.63 was second in the National League to the Mets Noah Syndergaard (0.52).He came out of the gates really as good as weve seen him, Matheny said. Just had a real good rhythm and thought he had a real good feel for hhis pitches.dddddddddddd They just kind of grinded a couple of at-bats against him and made him pay.Lester (17-4) allowed four base runners, none of which got past first. Cubs catcher David Ross threw out two Cardinals trying to steal second and Lester faced just two batters over the minimum.Rizzos two-run homer in the ninth gave him 31 homers and 101 RBI on the season. He is the second Cubs left-handed hitter in franchise history to post multiple 30 home run and 100 RBI seasons (Billy Williams did it in 1965, 1970 and 1972).Billy Williams, his numbers speak for himself and hes done it so many years, so its a really good feeling, Rizzo said.Ross two-run homer in the fifth was just third by a right-handed batter against Martinez, who had his four winning decisions streak snapped.The loss dropped the Cardinals home record to 33-41, assuring St. Louis of its first losing record at home since 1999 when it played in Busch Stadium II.We want to do well here and I think trying to right the ship here were putting a little too much pressure on us, Moss said. But when we go on the road we play a little more loose, a little more relaxed and hopefully that continues.TRAINERS ROOMCardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (right shoulder inflammation) was activated from the disabled list and will pitch out of the bullpen. ... OF Matt Holliday (fractured right thumb) is expected to take live batting practice later this week. ... RHP Trevor Rosenthal (right shoulder inflammation) could be activated from the DL tomorrow.UP NEXTCubs: LHP Mike Montgomery (1-1, 3.67 ERA) will kick off a four-game series as Chicago hosts Milwaukee on Thursday. The Brewers counter with RHP Jimmy Nelson (14-7, 4.42 ERA)Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (11-8, 4.45) will look to build on a one run, eight inning performance in his last start as St. Louis travels to San Francisco for a four-game series Thursday. RHP Johnny Cueto (15-5, 2.90) will start for the Giants. ' ' '