GAME: Mariners (32-40, 3rd, AL West, -10.5 GB) at Angels (31-40, 4th, AL West, -11.0 GB). GAME #: 73. SERIES: 3rd of 4 games. MEETING: 9th (series tied 4-4). WHEN: Wednesday, 7:05 p.m., Angels Stadium. STREAKS: Mariners W 1; Angels L 1. TV: Root Sports. RADIO: ESPN 710, Mariners Radio Network

The Mariners, as per custom, are not going anywhere this season, but Jeremy Bonderman is quickly working his way into one of the more unlikely and positive stories of the 2013 season. He didn't factor in Seattle's 10-inning, 3-2 win -- and an unlikely one at that -- Tuesday night, but he pitched six innings of six-hit ball and once again gave the Mariners a chance to win.

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As expected, the Mariners recalled 1B Justin Smoak from AAA Tacoma and sent INF Alex Liddi back to the Rainiers. Smoak will join the Mariners in Anaheim and was available for Wednesday night's contest against the Angels, the second of a four-game series.

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GAME: Mariners (31-40, 4th, AL West, -10.5 GB) at Angels (31-39, 3rd, AL West, -10.0 GB). GAME #: 72. SERIES: 2nd of 4 games. MEETING: 8th (Angels lead 4-3). WHEN: Tuesday, 7:05 p.m., Angels Stadium. STREAKS: Mariners L 2; Angels W 1. TV: Root Sports. RADIO: ESPN 710, Mariners Radio Network

For most of the season's first two months, the Mariners muddled along with two starters (Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma) they could consistently count on, one they could only count on at home (Joe Saunders) and an unpalatable mash of rotational back enders they couldn't count on at all (Brandon Maurer, Blake Beavan, Aaron Harang).

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GAME: Mariners (31-39, 3rd, AL West, -10.5 GB) at Angels (30-39, 5th, AL West, -11.0 GB). GAME #: 71. SERIES: 1st of 4 games. MEETING: 7th (series tied 3-3). WHEN: Monday, 7:05 p.m., Angels Stadium. STREAKS: Mariners L 1; Angels L 1. TV: Root Sports. RADIO: ESPN 710, Mariners Radio Network

Aaron Harang sure is hard to figure. He lost five of his first six decisions with the Mariners after joining the rotation April 16, but has tossed two complete-game shutouts in his last four outings. And, during that stretch, May 27-June 11, Harang was shelled for six runs in a 2.1-inning outing against the New York Yankees.

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Dominant most of the season, Hisashi Iwakuma failed to bring his best stuff to O.com Coliseum Sunday, was beat up -- for him -- for four runs in five innings, and the Mariners fell to the Athletics 10-2, spoiling their shot at a three-game sweep in Oakland for the first time since April 10-12, 2009.

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GAME: Mariners (31-38, 3rd, AL West, -9.5 GB) at Athletics (41-29, 1st, AL West, +2.0 GA). GAME #: 70. SERIES: 3rd of 3 games. MEETING: 10th (Mariners lead 6-3). WHEN: Sunday, 1:05 p.m., O.com Coliseum. STREAKS: Mariners W 2; Athletics L 2. TV: Root Sports. RADIO: ESPN 710, Mariners Radio Network

When former Mariner Randy Johnson (1989-98) enters the Hall of Fame, probably in 2014, he will do so with 303 career victories, 4,875 strikeouts, 100 complete games, 10-All-Star selections, five Cy Young awards and a World Series ring (2001). The Big Unit will also tote into Cooperstown a career WHIP (walks + hits / IP) of 1.25. It's the WHIP numbers The Unit compiled during his five Cy Young seasons that interests us here.

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Backup catcher Henry Blanco, acquired by the Mariners Friday, improbably swatted a grand slam off A.J. Griffin in the sixth inning Saturday, and Felix Hernandez did the rest as the Mariners defeated the Oakland Athletics 4-0 at O.com Coliseum. Blanco, a career .226 hitter with his 11th team in 16 seasons, whacked a four-seam fastball on the inner half of the plate over the wall in left. It barely stayed fair.

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GAME: Mariners (30-38, 3rd, AL West, -10.5 GB) at Athletics (41-28, 1st AL West, +2.0 GA). GAME #: 69. SERIES: 2nd of 3 games. MEETING: 9th (Mariners lead 5-3). WHEN: Saturday, 4:15 p.m., O.com Coliseum. STREAKS: Mariners W 1; Athletics L 1. TV: Root Sports. RADIO: ESPN 710, Mariners Radio Network

The Mariners made a major move Friday by signing 41-year-old catcher Henry Blanco, a well-traveled catcher with 16 years of major league experience, while simultaneously designating for assignment their recent starter, Kelly Shoppach. The move says that the Mariners are handing the backstop slot for the foreseeable future to 2012 first-round draft choice Mike Zunino.

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Rookie catcher Mike Zunino, called up earlier in the week from AAA Tacoma, cracked his first major league home run, a solo shot to center on a 1-and-1 count in the seventh inning, lifting the Mariners (30-38) to a 3-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics Friday night in the opening game of a three-game series at O.com Coliseum.

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University of Washington sophomore Cheng-Tsung Pan has a chance to do something that no amateur golfer has done since the 1930s: Win the U.S. Open. At even par through 27 holes, Pan was a stroke back of the lead Friday when play was suspended because of darkness at Merion Golf Club outside Philadelphia, where bad weather has forced delays in the first two rounds.

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The Mariners Friday signed veteran free agent catcher Henry Blanco, 41, making room for him on the roster by designating Kelly Shoppach, who had been the starter, for assignment. Blanco, a 16-year veteran who most recently played with Toronto, will be available for Friday night's game in Oakland against the Athletics.

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Dick Mansperger, the Seahawks' first director of player personnel (1975-84), died May 12 following a long battle with cancer. He was 80. Mansperger, who worked for the Dallas Cowboys prior to joining Seattle's expansion franchise, exerted a profound influence on the team's early NFL drafts and rosters.

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University of Washington basketball coach Lorenzo Romar announced the lineups for what could -- and probably should -- be an annual treat for Husky fans: An Alumni Game featuring ex-Dawgs of relatively recent vintage. The Alumni Game is part of a" Husky Legends Return" extravaganza June 23 at Alaska Airlines Arena.

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GAME: Mariners (29-38, 3rd, AL West, -11.5 GB) at Athletics (41-27, 1st, AL West, +1.5 GA). GAME #: 68. SERIES: 1st of 3 games. MEETING: 8th (Mariners lead 4-3). WHEN: Friday, 7:10 p.m., O.com Coliseum. STREAKS: Mariners L 1; Athletics W 3. TV: Root Sports. RADIO: ESPN 710, Mariners Radio Network

The Mariners, who curiously have a winning record (4-3) against first-place Oakland and a losing record against last-place Houston (4-5), would seem to have an excellent opportunity for success when they begin a three-game series with the Athletics Friday night at O.com Coliseum.

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Shuffled off a year ago to Buffalo, Tarvaris Jackson has returned to the Seahawks to back up at quarterback, the club said Thursday night. He will compete with sixth-year veteran Brady Quinn, who was signed during the free agency period, but now faces competition from a player known and respected in Renton.

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Leading 1-0 heading into the ninth Wednesday, the Mariners seemed poised to complete their first three-game winning streak since August, 2012. But then Houston scored six times for a 6-1 win, collecting its most runs in a game after being held scoreless through the first eight since April 8, 1988, when the Astros tallied eight times in a 16-inning game against the Reds. Only the Mariners could be on the wrong end of a stat like that.

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Jeremy Bonderman pitched an eight-inning shutout, then found out what it's like to be a Mariners starter, getting almost nothing from everyone else on the team. One of the worst ninth innings in the club's woeful history, coming from the worst team in MLB, created a stunning 6-1 shredding of the Mariners Tuesday night.

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Tarvaris Jackson could become a Seahawk again. Jackson, 30, was cut early this week by the Buffalo Bills, the team that traded for him, and ESPN.com has reported that he probably will sign a one-year deal as soon as Thursday. Jackson would come back to a more orderly QB scene than when he was traded in August for a seventh-round draft choice.

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GAME: Astros (22-44, 5th, AL West, -17.0 GB) at Mariners (29-37, 3rd, AL West, -10.0 GB). GAME #: 67. SERIES: 3rd of 3 games. MEETING: 9th (series tied 4-4). WHEN: Wednesday, 7:10 p.m., Safeco Field. STREAKS: Mariners W 2; Astros L 6. TV: Root Sports. RADIO: ESPN 710, Mariners Radio Network

The Mariners are not very good at winning three games in a row. They last did it between May 1-4 when they beat Baltimore, had a day off, and took a pair from Baltimore. They won three straight only one other time this season (April 27-29), but now have an opportunity Wednesday to sweep the Houston Astros. In the tortured world of Mariners' baseball, this is a big deal.

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Aaron Harang, dismantled by the New York Yankees in his last start, tossed his second complete-game shutout of the season Tuesday and Raul Ibanez cracked his team-leading 13th home run as the Mariners took their second in a row from the Houston Astros, winning 4-0 at Safeco Field. The shutout was Seattle's eighth of the season and set up the Mariners for their first three-game winning streak since May 1-4.

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