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. Tom Barrasso Jersey .ca! Hi Kerry, The recent issues in the Boston-Pittsburgh game have highlighted a number of officiating, game control, and player sportsmanship aspects. Michel Briere Jersey . -- The Sacramento Kings and guard Jimmer Fredette have completed a buyout of his contract, clearing the way for the former BYU sensation to become a free agent. http://www.penguinsauthenticofficial.com...-crosby-jersey/. -- The Oakland Raiders expect to have starting right tackle Tony Pashos back for Sundays game against the Houston Texans. Mark Recchi Jersey . "I could have been equipment manager but nooooo" from Lisa on Ice. Season 6, Episode 8. Custom Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys . Future Hall of Famer Ricky Ray is in his prime and back for a third season in double blue. The 34-year old was magnificent in 2013, throwing for just under 2,900 yards despite missing eight games, tossing an impressive 21 touchdowns against just two interceptions, completing 66 per cent of his passes in the process.SSNHQs cricket correspondent Tim Abraham helps document the beginnings of Englands five-Test tour of India... Part two of Englands long winter on the sub-continent is under way.India has a completely different feel to Bangladesh in every way. Its more relaxed and laid back, which is saying something for India as it still has such hustle and bustle, and chaotic qualities. Arriving in India you notice a definite change from Bangladesh... Were in Rajkot, in the state of Gujarat for the first Test. This is the city where Mahatma Gandhi went to school, and its a dry state, meaning no alcohol.Its a new city for me, and new Test venue for India, let alone England, though one-day internationals have been played at the impressive Saurashtra Stadium.Its another state of the art modern cricket facility in India, on the outskirts of town, with a feeling of home for the England players as the media centre is a mini version of the spaceship-like Lords media centre. Just like HQ... the media centre at Rajkot looks strangely familiar We are once again staying with the team, and theres no mistaking the hotel are just so delighted England are staying with them.Theres a massive facade on the outer walls, featuring the players, and when you step inside the lobby, pictures of the players adorn the walls, even in the lifts the England players are poster boys.On top of that, theres a specially designed room service menu For the England team and in the main restaurant the players can use their own mugs, with their pictures on. Poster boys... Englands presence is felt off the pitch, as well as on it When Joe Root, Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes got their hundreds in this Test, the hotel specially baked cakes in time their return.While there is security around the players, as there always is in this part of the world, it all just seems so much more laid back. No road blocks or armed convoys speeding through the streets here like in Bangladesh.That tour was a big success for the ECB, even though the team lost the final Test in dramatic circumstances.One of our last jobs in Dhaka, just before we left, was to shoot a security review story with the man who said it would be safe for England to come here, Reg Dickason - a security advisor who has been around the team for years, and a man the players trust. Staff at the Rajkot Hotel surprise England cricketers Moeen Ali and Joe Root with a cake after their impressive innings against India My travel day to Mumbai did not get off to the best of starts.dddddddddddd I was on the team flight (a big mistake!) and upon arrival at the airport, there was team manager Phil Neale checking in all the players bags and kit.Row upon row of kit bags and cases that stretched right back through the check-in area. The players dont do it themselves, you know, they just turn up and walk into the plane.Of course its a massive job, and Phil took up one check-in desk completely, with only one other desk open for the rest of us.I had loads of gear myself, as I was taking all of our equipment on with me, and it was touch and go as to whether I would check-in on time.The first few days in Mumbai were chill-out time for the players, so with this cushion of no interview access, it was a good chance for me and cameraman, Jake Utley, to shoot a colour piece around the city.England may have been having a few days off but cricket does not stop in this city and we headed straight for the Oval Maidan, where on a long strip of park land, bang in the middle of the city, there are so many games of cricket going on side by side. India vs England November 12, 2016, 3:45am Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass Its quite a sight when full. I have shot this scene so many times down the years but you never tire of seeing the passion and the chaotic nature of so many games going on at the same time, with balls so often hit into the playing area of another.This was a good chance to catch up with the locals and get them to talk about the series and Englands chances. The agreed consensus; England were the overwhelming underdogs against the best team in the world, particularly after that defeat in Bangladesh.But given Englands good start to the first Test in Rajkot, a fantastic five-match series appears to lie ahead.Watch all five Tests between India and England live on Sky Sports 2 and across Sky Sports digital platforms. Also See: First Test blog Scorecard D3 highlights Cricket videos Cheap Bills JerseysAuthentic Dolphins JerseysCheap Patriots StoreCyber Monday Jets JerseysCyber Monday Texans JerseysBlack Friday Colts JerseysCheap Jaguars JerseysCheap Titans StoreBlack Friday Broncos JerseysCheap Chiefs JerseysCheap Raiders JerseysAuthentic Chargers JerseysCheap Ravens StoreBlack Friday Steelers JerseysBlack Friday Cowboys JerseysCheap Giants StoreCheap Eagles StoreBlack Friday Redskins JerseysFalcons Jerseys OnlinePanthers Jerseys OnlineAuthentic Saints JerseysCheap Buccaneers JerseysAuthentic Cardinals JerseysBlack Friday 49ers JerseysBlack Friday Seahawks JerseysCyber Monday Rams JerseysBlack Friday Bears JerseysWholesale Lions JerseysPackers Jerseys OnlineAuthentic Vikings JerseysCyber Monday Bengals JerseysCyber Monday Browns Jerseys ' ' '