Toronto @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 21, 2011 ) Seattle 5, Toronto 7

THE STORY: The Seattle Mariners shocked the Boston Red Sox by taking two of three from the American League East leaders and handing them their first series loss since the end of June. Seattle takes on another Eastern opponent as it begins a three-game series at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday. The Mariners have won four of their last five games at Safeco Field and are 9-7 since their franchise-high 17-game losing streak. Toronto has won two straight and is seeking its fourth win in six contests. The matchup features the players with the two longest current hitting streaks in the AL as Seattle's Mike Carp enters with a 14-game run while Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion has hit safely in 13 straight.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, Rogers Sportsnet (Toronto), Root Sports (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Henderson Alvarez (0-0, 4.76 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Michael Pineda (9-7, 3.57 ERA).

Alvarez will be making the second start of his career. The 21-year old Venezuelan made his major-league debut against Oakland on Wednesday, allowing three runs and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings en route to a no-decision. Alvarez posted an 8-4 record and 2.86 ERA in 15 games with Double-A New Hampshire this season.

Pineda, who has won just one of his last five starts, is coming off a no-decision at Texas on Tuesday in which he yielded three runs in six innings and exited with the lead. The 22-year old is 5-2 with a 2.33 ERA in nine outings at home but has pitched at Safeco Field only once since June 28. Pineda notched his first career win against the Blue Jays on April 5, allowing one earned run in 7 1/3 frames, but escaped with a no-decision at Toronto on July 19 after surrendering five runs in 6 1/3 innings.

ABOUT THE MARINERS (52-67): Carp's hitting streak is the longest by a Mariners rookie since Ichiro Suzuki's 16-game run in 2001. Suzuki also had streaks of 21 and 23 games that year. Carp also has reached safely in 23 consecutive contests and has recorded 24 RBIs in 23 games since being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma. Franklin Gutierrez recorded a single on Sunday but had his streak of multi-hit games snapped at five.

ABOUT THE BLUE JAYS (61-59): Jose Bautista reclaimed the major-league lead in home runs with his 34th of the season. Bautista, who had not gone deep since Aug. 4, had been tied with New York's Curtis Granderson. Rajai Davis tore his left hamstring running out a grounder Sunday and landed on the 15-day disabled list. Mike McCoy, who batted .234 with a home run and five RBIs in 43 games earlier this season, was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to replace him on the roster. Encarnacion's hitting streak is the longest by a Blue Jay this year.

FINAL PITCH: Suzuki recorded his 97th career outfield assist Saturday, tying him with Jay Buhner for second on the Mariners' franchise list. Ken Griffey Jr. tops the club with 108.