BALTIMORE -- The home runs dont come often these days for 41-year-old Henry Blanco, and neither do starting assignments. When they do, however, Seattles backup catcher often leaves a memorable impression. Blanco hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning off Wei-Yin Chen, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 Sunday behind left-hander Joe Saunders. Batting ninth in the lineup, Blanco sent an 0-2 pitch into the left-field seats to erase a 2-1 deficit. The 16-year veteran was playing in his 32nd game of the season, the 17th with Seattle after being signed as a free agent. "If we could get that by the backup catcher every other day, every third day, well be in good shape," acting manager Robby Thompson said. "He comes to play, hes in great shape." Blanco has played for 11 different teams during a career that began in 1997. This was his third homer of the season; the other two were grand slams, including a game winner in his Mariners debut against Oakland on June 15. "When you get a win and you can help the team win some games, its a good feeling," Blanco said. Blancos batting .182, but hes done his job quite capably. "Hes had some huge hits for us," Thompson said. "Huge home runs, a couple grand slams and a two-run there. The times that hes in there, hes produced." Blanco isnt the only old-timer in the Seattle clubhouse. The Mariners other run Sunday came from 41-year-old Raul Ibanez, who hit an RBI double in the second inning. "Thats a good thing," Blanco said. "At this point, you just want to contribute to win games and hope for the best. Raul is a pretty good hitter, hes always been, and I just get lucky." Saunders (10-10) worked out of trouble in almost every inning but improved to 7-0 lifetime against Baltimore after allowing two runs, eight hits and two walks in six innings. He walked off the mound for the last time trailing 2-1, but Blancos blast made him a winner. "It was unreal," Saunders said. "Its one of those moments in the game where its like do or die and he put a good swing on a good pitch, I think, and bailed me out." Saunders, who played a key role for the Orioles late last season, has five consecutive seasons with at least 10 wins. In this one, he walked a tightrope through five innings and gave up a two-run drive to Danny Valencia in the sixth. Baltimore went 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight. The Orioles dropped two of three to the Mariners and went 4-5 on a homestand that began with three games apiece against Boston and Houston. "We did some really good things to create some situations, but Joe pitched out of it," manager Buck Showalter said. "It was really kind of characteristic of a good veteran pitcher like Joe. Weve seen that before." Yoervis Medina struck out four in two perfect innings and Danny Farquhar got three straight outs for his second save, both of which came within 24 hours. Chen (6-4) gave up three runs and five hits over seven innings in losing for the first time in seven starts since May 1. Valencia was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk before the game for his third stint with the Orioles this season. Starting at designated hitter, he homered after Steve Pearce drew a leadoff walk to put Baltimore up 2-1. The lead didnt last. One inning later, following a walk to No. 8 hitter Brendan Ryan, Blanco pulled a slider a few feet inside the foul pole. "Thats the spot I wanted to attack," Chen said through an interpreter. "I threw the ball right on the spot and he still swings the bat really well and he hit a home run off me. Hats off to him." Seattle and Baltimore combined for 14 homers in the three games, none more important than Blancos. "I wasnt expecting to hit a home run," Blanco said. "I was trying to get a pitch where I could put the ball in play and see if something can happen. I just hit it pretty good." The Mariners used successive doubles by Michael Morse and Raul Ibanez to go up 1-0 in the second. Over the first five innings, the Orioles wasted repeated opportunities to score. NOTES: Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik says manager Eric Wedge, who had a mild stroke on July 22, wont rejoin the team this week. Zduriencik said Wedge is "doing well," but added, "This is a lifelong health issue for him. When he gets back here managing this club, we want him to be here. We dont want him to come in and be here for two or three days."... Zduriencik also said RH reliever Stephen Pryor has been shut down for the year with an injured right triceps muscle. ... Orioles 2B Brian Roberts missed a third straight game while on paternity leave. He is expected to travel with the team Monday to San Diego for a two-game series that begins Tuesday night. ... The Mariners host Toronto on Monday night after going 2-4 on a six-game trip through Boston and Baltimore. ... 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Blake Snell Rays Jersey . -- The St. Johns IceCaps weathered a wild first period with the help of goaltender Jussi Olkinuora, before finding offensive inroads in the second.CHICAGO -- Playing left in Wrigley Field isnt easy under normal circumstances.Carlos Santana is about to find out what its like -- in Game 3 of the World Series with the wind blowing out to Waveland Avenue, millions watching on TV and Chicago Cubs fans breathing down his neck.Go get em, kid.Unable to use Santana as his designated hitter with the World Series switching to the fabled National League ballpark for the next three games, Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona has moved his DH into left field.Its risky, but Francona feels its the right choice for his club. Santana has played only four innings in left during his career, and that was in 2012 during a 14-1 loss.The manager discussed the move Thursday night before Game 3 lineups were released on Friday afternoon.I have anxiety about it, Francona said as he sat on the brick wall near Clevelands dugout Thursday night. I dont know how else to say it, and if he messes a ball up, Ill take responsibility because I dont think its fair to put it on him. But you try to figure out, OK, whats our best way to win? If we dont play him out there, thats the best way to have nobody second-guessing me.Santana took some fly balls during Clevelands workout, with bench coach Brad Mills standing nearby and offering him tips on tracking balls into the gap and chasing grounders into the corner, where Santana will have to deal with the iconic ivy thats fading fast with winter approaching.Francona said there was only one thing that would stop him from making the switch.If he just cant do it. If he looks at me and says, I dont want to do this or something like that, he said.The Indians could also play Coco Crisp or Brandon Guyer in left, but they dont hit like Santana. He hit 34 hommers and drove in 87 runs during the regular season, and although hes hitless in six at-bats in the Series and batting just .dddddddddddd179 in the postseason, Francona is confident the switch-hitter will warm up.Hes a really good hitter, Francona said, adding he has spoken to Game 3 pitcher?Josh Tomlin about playing Santana in left. You cant run away from your guys at this time of year. If guys go oh-for the first two games and you sit them, theyll never do well.A former catcher, Santana has also played first and third and the Indians are certain he has the athleticism to handle left. But theres no way of knowing how hell do until they put him out there.Hes quick enough, Mills said. And he can move enough. Weve talked to him about seeing balls off the bat. We might have to play him maybe a little deeper or something along those lines, just to have him come in so reading the ball, he has more time to read the ball that way. Those things. When you havent been out there, keeping that focus on there a lot of times is tough, but at least hes got the wall behind him.Wearing a stocking cap as he sat in the warmth of the Indians dugout on a chilly evening, Santana said hes ready for his new assignment.Ill be fine, he said. Tito, he told me dont put on any pressure, play your game, play hard, stay focused and concentrate, and thats it.The Indians dont have many other options, and first baseman Mike Napoli quickly removed himself from consideration despite playing 11 games in the outfield for Texas.It was a circus last year with me out there, he said, so I wouldnt go out there in this situation. ' ' '
