Seattle @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( May 23, 2015 ) Seattle 3, Toronto 2

The Toronto Blue Jays are sliding in the wrong direction and attempt to avoid being swept when they host the Seattle Mariners in Sunday’s finale of a three-game set. The Blue Jays have lost nine of their last 11 games and stand a season-worst seven games below .500.

Seattle won each of the first two games of the series by one run and that has been an increasingly annoying trend for Toronto. The Blue Jays are 2-10 in one-run games and have lost their last six such contests. “All losing is frustrating,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons told reporters. “I don’t know if it’s any more frustrating (to lose by one).” Taijuan Walker takes the mound for Seattle in the finale and he has been atrocious on the road with a 1-3 mark and 10.71 ERA in five starts.

TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), RSN (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Taijuan Walker (1-4, 7.47 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Aaron Sanchez (3-4, 4.17)

Walker is experiencing a four-start winless stretch and opponents are batting .321 against him this season. He allowed four runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings against Baltimore in his last turn, marking the fourth time this season he has pitched four innings or less. Walker lost his lone outing against Toronto last September despite giving up one run and four hits in eight innings.

Sanchez has lost consecutive starts after winning his previous three decisions. He worked a career-long 7 1/3 innings in his last turn while losing to the Los Angeles Angels as he gave up three runs and six hits. Sanchez threw a scoreless inning to earn a save last season in his lone appearance against Seattle.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mariners 3B Kyle Seager homered on Saturday to extend his hitting streak to nine games.

2. Toronto DH Jose Bautista is 0-for-5 in the series but has drawn three walks and has reached base in 34 straight games against Seattle dating to 2009.

3. Mariners 2B Robinson Cano is hitless in seven at-bats in the series and just 5-for-28 over the last seven games.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 8, Mariners 6