SEATTLE – It didn’t matter to the Toronto Blue Jays that they blew an early six-run lead to the Seattle Mariners Tuesday night.

They just regrouped and went on to a six-run victory.

Jose Bautista hit his major league-leading 35th home run, Colby Rasmus and Aaron Hill each drove in four runs and the Jays rallied twice in a 13-7 win over the Mariners.

The Blue Jays peared on the way to an easy victory with a six-run first inning, highlighted by Rasmus’ three-run double. But by the third inning, the Mariners had tied it.

“Every at-bat everyone’s trying to go up there and do something to help the team,” Rasmus said. “I don’t think when you give up a lead that we’re going to give up the game and just cash it in. Everybody kept battling and we started punching across some runs again. I don’t think that matters to this team.”

The Jays broke away again with a four-run fifth.

Bautista opened the fifth with a walk and Adam Lind singled, ending Jason Vargas’ night. Tom Wilhelmsen, who earned his first big-league win Monday, took over and walked Edwin Encarnacion to load the bases.

Wilhelmsen’s next pitch caromed off umpire’s Tim McClelland shin and into the Mariners dugout. Bautista came home on the wild pitch.

Rasmus and Aaron Hill each added a sac-fly and J.P. Arencibia had a RBI single to build the lead to 10-6.

It’s the most RBI for Rasmus since coming over in a July 27 trade with St. Louis.

Hill, who had a two-run home run in the first, matched his career high for RBIs.

“It’s good to see the life in his (Hill’s) bat that we’ve known him for,” Jays manager John Farrell said. “For (Rasmus) and Hilly, just to come up in a key spot, get a big hit, maybe they can take a deep breath and know that they have the abilities to go out and play the game.”

Bautista’s two-run home run in the sixth was estimated at 438 feet.

Farrell said by his players being undeterred by the Mariners initial comeback “speaks volumes for our offence.”

Casper Wells hit his fourth home run in his fourth straight game, a two-run shot in the second. That matched Danny Tartabull for the Mariners’ rookie record. Tartabull hit his four straight ril 12-15, 1986.

Trayvon Robinson had two hits, including a two-run single for the Mariners.

Mike Carp extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a single in the third. He’s hitting .385 with four home runs and 18 RBI during the streak. He entered the game with the most August RBI in the majors with 17.

Nine Jays batters went to the plate in the six-run first, and Vargas (7-11) came within a strike of getting out of the inning unscathed. With the bases loaded and two outs, he had a 2-2 count on Rasmus. Rasmus then drilled a cut fastball into the right-centre g to clear the bases.

Langley, B.C., native Brett Lawrie, who had three hits, drove in Rasmus with a single to centre. Hill followed with his sixth home run.

The Mariners cut the lead in half in the second. After a leadoff walk to Carp, Wells hit his blast into the left-field bullpen, his ninth.

Miguel Olivo followed with a home run over the left-centre wall, the fourth time this season the Mariners have had back-to-back home runs and second time in two nights.

Eight batters went to the plate in the third as the Mariners scored three more. Robinson had his two-run single and Kyle Seager tied it with a RBI hit.

Shortstop Yunel Escobar saved two runs with a diving stop of a Jack Wilson grounder. He got up and threw him out, stranding runners at second and third.

But in a game with 20 runs and 26 hits, it was a guy who quieted the bats who stood out. Luis Perez (2-2), taking over for Brad Mills in the fourth, earned the victory. He matched his career high with four innings, allowing three hits, one run, two walks and striking out three.

“The four innings by Luis Perez are probably the story in tonight’s game,” Farrell said. “It looked like it was going to be one of those nights when we couldn’t score enough. The ball was carrying here uncharacteristically. It was a good overall effort from Luis.”

Perez added, “I was just trying to get outs and prolong my stay as long as I can. I was in the game early. I wanted to get the quickest outs.”

Notes: RHP Jon Rauch gave the Jays medical staff little warning before Monday’s game that he would eventually have to have an pendectomy Tuesday morning. “Before the game he felt some stomach discomfort. But he checked out OK and certainly felt he was cable of pitching,” Jays manager John Farrell said. “Then after the game things began to intensify a little bit and at that point we felt like it was time to get him checked.” Rauch was placed on the 15-day DL. LHP Trever Miller also was designated for assignment and two lefties, Wil Ledezma and Rommie Lewis, were called up from Triple-A Las Vegas. … An MRI has revealed that OF Rajai Davis has a hamstring tear. Farrell said for Davis’ mindset “our goal is to get him back on field before season’s out.” … With the last-minute signing Monday of first-round pick, LHP Danny Hultzen, the Mariners also agreed to give him a big-league contract. Room needed to be cleared on the 40-man roster so RHP Chris Ray, on the DL with a right shoulder strain, was released. … RHP Brandon Morrow (8-7, 4.55), traded to the Blue Jays two years ago, finally makes his first start against his former team at Safeco Field Wednesday. “I think any time a player comes back to his original organization, there’s going to be some added adrenalin, maybe some emotion,” Farrell said. … The Mariners will send out RHP Blake Beavan (3-3, 3.39), acquired in the Cliff Lee trade with Texas last season. He has never faced Toronto.

SEATTLE () — It didn’t matter to the Toronto Blue Jays that they blew an early six-run lead to the Seattle Mariners Tuesday night.

They just regrouped and went on to a six-run victory.

Jose Bautista hit his major league-leading 35th home run, Colby Rasmus and Aaron Hill each drove in four runs and the Jays rallied twice in a 13-7 win over the Mariners.

The Blue Jays peared on the way to an easy victory with a six-run first inning, highlighted by Rasmus’ three-run double. But by the third inning, the Mariners had tied it.

“Every at-bat everyone’s trying to go up there and do something to help the team,” Rasmus said. “I don’t think when you give up a lead that we’re going to give up the game and just cash it in. Everybody kept battling and we started punching across some runs again. I don’t think that matters to this team.”

The Jays broke away again with a four-run fifth.

Bautista opened the fifth with a walk and Adam Lind singled, ending Jason Vargas’ night. Tom Wilhelmsen, who earned his first big-league win Monday, took over and walked Edwin Encarnacion to load the bases.

Wilhelmsen’s next pitch caromed off umpire’s Tim McClelland shin and into the Mariners dugout. Bautista came home on the wild pitch.

Rasmus and Aaron Hill each added a sac-fly and J.P. Arencibia had a RBI single to build the lead to 10-6.

It’s the most RBI for Rasmus since coming over in a July 27 trade with St. Louis.

Hill, who had a two-run home run in the first, matched his career high for RBIs.

“It’s good to see the life in his (Hill’s) bat that we’ve known him for,” Jays manager John Farrell said. “For (Rasmus) and Hilly, just to come up in a key spot, get a big hit, maybe they can take a deep breath and know that they have the abilities to go out and play the game.”

Bautista’s two-run home run in the sixth was estimated at 438 feet.

Farrell said by his players being undeterred by the Mariners initial comeback “speaks volumes for our offense.”

Casper Wells hit his fourth home run in his fourth straight game, a two-run shot in the second. That matched Danny Tartabull for the Mariners’ rookie record. Tartabull hit his four straight ril 12-15, 1986.

Trayvon Robinson had two hits, including a two-run single for the Mariners.

Mike Carp extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a single in the third. He’s hitting .385 with four home runs and 18 RBI during the streak. He entered the game with the most August RBI in the majors with 17.

Nine Jays batters went to the plate in the six-run first, and Vargas (7-11) came within a strike of getting out of the inning unscathed. With the bases loaded and two outs, he had a 2-2 count on Rasmus. Rasmus then drilled a cut fastball into the right-center g to clear the bases.

Brett Lawrie, who had three hits, drove in Rasmus with a single to center. Hill followed with his sixth home run.

The Mariners cut the lead in half in the second. After a leadoff walk to Carp, Wells hit his blast into the left-field bullpen, his ninth.

Miguel Olivo followed with a home run over the left-center wall, the fourth time this season the Mariners have had back-to-back home runs and second time in two nights.

Eight batters went to the plate in the third as the Mariners scored three more. Robinson had his two-run single and Kyle Seager tied it with a RBI hit.

Shortstop Yunel Escobar saved two runs with a diving stop of a Jack Wilson grounder. He got up and threw him out, stranding runners at second and third.

But in a game with 20 runs and 26 hits, it was a guy who quieted the bats who stood out. Luis Perez (2-2), taking over for Brad Mills in the fourth, earned the victory. He matched his career high with four innings, allowing three hits, one run, two walks and striking out three.

“The four innings by Luis Perez are probably the story in tonight’s game,” Farrell said. “It looked like it was going to be one of those nights when we couldn’t score enough. The ball was carrying here uncharacteristically. It was a good overall effort from Luis.”

Perez added, “I was just trying to get outs and prolong my stay as long as I can. I was in the game early. I wanted to get the quickest outs.”

Notes: RHP Jon Rauch gave the Jays medical staff little warning before Monday’s game that he would eventually have to have an pendectomy Tuesday morning. “Before the game he felt some stomach discomfort. But he checked out OK and certainly felt he was cable of pitching,” Jays manager John Farrell said. “Then after the game things began to intensify a little bit and at that point we felt like it was time to get him checked.” Rauch was placed on the 15-day DL. LHP Trever Miller also was designated for assignment and two lefties, Wil Ledezma and Rommie Lewis, were called up from Triple-A Las Vegas. … An MRI has revealed that OF Rajai Davis has a hamstring tear. Farrell said for Davis’ mindset “our goal is to get him back on field before season’s out.” … With the last-minute signing Monday of first-round pick, LHP Danny Hultzen, the Mariners also agreed to give him a big-league contract. Room needed to be cleared on the 40-man roster so RHP Chris Ray, on the DL with a right shoulder strain, was released. … RHP Brandon Morrow (8-7, 4.55), traded to the Blue Jays two years ago, finally makes his first start against his former team at Safeco Field Wednesday. “I think anytime a player comes back to his original organization, there’s going to be some added adrenalin, maybe some emotion,” Farrell said. … The Mariners will send out RHP Blake Beavan (3-3, 3.39), acquired in the Cliff Lee trade with Texas last season. He has never faced Toronto.

Jason Vargas seems to have found a solution to combat the Seattle Mariners’ famed habit of not scoring runs on nights he pitches:

Don’t allow the other team to score any, either.

Problem is, he did that in his last start. For nine innings. And still didn’t win. But he did on Wednesday, despite managing just seven measly, scoreless innings while striking out nine batters in the Mariners’ 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels of Nowhere Near Los Angeles.

“He was about as consistent, start to finish, as you can ask a starting pitcher to be,” manager Eric Wedge said.

That’s high praise, considering Mariners starting pitchers have now allowed just two earned runs in 22 innings pitched on this homestand.

Vargas hasn’t allowed an earned run since ril 29, a string of 16 scoreless innings. His nine-inning effort last week made him just the fourth pitcher in franchise history to shut out an opponent that long without earning a victory.

So the Mariners went ahead and got him some runs on Wednesday. It turned out just one would have been enough with the way Vargas has been throwing, but his generous offense scored a whopping three instead.

Or maybe they felt worse about wasting another gem from Felix Hernandez on Tuesday night, when their reigning Cy Young winner allowed just two runs in eight innings but still managed to take a 2-1 loss.

Vargas eluded that fate by never giving the Angels a chance.

“He’s been throwing the ball great, pounding the strike zone, quick innings, which is always (good) for the defense,” said designated hitter Jack Cust, who drove in two of the Mariners’ runs. “I’m not on the defense, but for me personally, it keeps the game rolling and gets us back in the dugout and back to hitting.”

Newly activated Franklin Gutierrez didn’t do any of that in his return to the lineup – he was 0-for-4 after missing the first 41 games of the season with a stomach illness – but the rest of the Mariners responded well to Wedge’s pre-game proclamation that he “sure as hell” wasn’t going to continue to watch Seattle continue to struggle so mightily at the plate.

They were sure as hell better on Wednesday against Angels starter Jered Weaver, a college teammate of Vargas at Long Beach State than they were Tuesday against Francisco Liriano.

That much was evident in the first inning, when Cust blooped a single into right field after Chone Figgins doubled with one out, scoring Figgins to give Seattle an early lead.

And Cust liked driving in that run so much, he decided to do it again in the third, when a sharp single scored Justin Smoak from second base to give the Mariners a 3-0 lead.

“We need that from him,” Wedge said. “We need those guys in the middle of our lineup, whoever it may be, to step up and do what Jack did today.”

The hit also gave Cust his first multi-RBI game of the season. After a horrid month of ril, Cust has hit in 13 of his last 16 games, upping his season average to .225 after spending much of ril below the Mendoza Line. And his 2-for-4 night gave him his third multi-hit game of the month, after posting just two of those in ril.

“Since the beginning of May, I feel my swing coming on a little bit, driving the ball a little bit more,” Cust said. “It’s a long season and the start obviously wasn’t what I was hoping for, but that’s why you play the full year and get your at-bats in and try to get comfortable.”

Seattle (18-24) did its best to make things dicey as Jamey Wright faced six batters and needed 29 pitches to retire the Angels in the eighth. He walked Maicer Izturis, who moved to second on a groundout. Howie Kendrick hit a liner to Smoak at first base for the second out, but Alberto Callaspo hit an infield single and Mark Trumbo walked to load the bases.

Wright went to a 3-2 count on pinch-hitter Hank Conger, then froze him on a fastball over the plate for strike three, preserving the rare –and slim – lead afforded for Vargas.

“He had to fight all the way through that inning,” Wedge said of Wright. “You can’t take it any further than that without giving up a run, but ultimately that’s what it was – it was a zero.”

Of course, Vargas did some sweating, too. After walking Erick Aybar with two outs in the seventh, Vargas was allowed to face Bobby Abreu – who was 2-for-3 at the time – with the knowledge that Abreu would likely be his last batter.

He struck out swinging to end the inning.

“To get Abreu after he put some good at-bats together was nice,” Vargas said.

Brandon League, 0-for-3 in recent save opportunities, pitched a scoreless ninth to record his 10^th save of the season. Prior to the scoreless inning he pitched on Tuesday, League had taken losses in his last four outings.

Afterward, he spoke of how important Tuesday’s outing was, if only because it gave him a chance to get back on the mound and prove that he’s still cable of the kind of performances that earned him nine consecutive saves in his first nine chances.

Throw him alongside Cust and Vargas – especially Vargas – as guys who have been on redemptive paths recently.

“I was trying to build and just trying to stay where I’m at,” Vargas said, “and not really change anything.”

Why would he?

For more Seattle Mariners news, visit the front page of the Seattle Mariners blog.

SEATTLE The Seattle Mariners have placed first baseman Justin Smoak on the bereavement list so he can visit his ill father.

The Mariners also recalled outfielder Carlos Peguero from triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday to take Smoak’s roster spot. Smoak may not be activated for three days and can remain on the bereavement list for up to seven days.

Manager Eric Wedge says the team will give Smoak all the time he needs to be with his father.

Smoak is Seattle’s leading hitter at .291 with a pair of homers and five doubles. Chris Gimenez is starting at first Tuesday night against Detroit, and Wedge says Adam Kennedy also will fill in while Smoak is away from the team.

The

Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Romero posted a 5-0 record with a 3.25 earned-run average in his final six road starts in 2010. (J. Meric/Getty Images)

The Seattle Mariners have struggled to score runs early in 2011, but don’t tell that to the Toronto Blue Jays.

After snping its seven-game skid in dramatic fashion, Seattle looks to carry the momentum into Tuesday night when it continues its home series against Toronto.

Following back-to-back victories over Oakland to open the season, the Mariners (3-7) had been outscored 43-18 during a seven-game losing streak.

That slide peared certain to reach eight Monday night, when Seattle found itself in a 7-0 hole entering the seventh inning. Instead of eight losses, though, the Mariners reached eight runs. Luis Rodriguez cped the rally in the ninth inning when his two-out, two-run single in a 10-pitch at-bat gave Seattle an 8-7 victory.

The Mariners, who scored a major-league-worst 513 runs last season, avoided their first 0-4 start at home since 2004. They have come from behind in all three of their wins.

“You can’t say enough about that at-bat that Luis Rodriguez had,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. “Nine of 10 pitches with the game on the line right there, fighting through it, fouling some pitches off and, ultimately, came through and you love to see that. It was a good win for us.”

Toronto (5-5), meanwhile, suffered its third straight loss and fourth in five games.

The Blue Jays bullpen, which had recorded a 1.11 ERA through its first 32 1/3 innings, surrendered eight runs for the first time since allowing nine in a 12-10 loss at Baltimore on May 27, 2009.

Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista went 2 for 4 to improve his average to .400. Toronto recorded at least 10 hits for the sixth time this season.

Mariners rookie starter Michael Pineda (0-1, 4.50 ERA), who showed promise in his major-league debut last Tuesday, will look to slow down the Blue Jays offence. The 22-year-old right-hander allowed three runs in six innings of last Tuesday’s 3-2 defeat at Texas.

“He was poised out there,” Wedge said. “He should feel real good about it, the way he pitched, the way he controlled the game. We couldn’t have asked for a better outing.”

He’ll be opposed by Blue Jays opening-day starter Ricky Romero (1-1, 1.32), who limited Oakland to one run and four hits in 7 1/3 innings Thursday, but got saddled with a tough-luck 2-1 loss.

“I could tell from the get-go that he was going to have a good game and he did,” Athletics pitcher Trevor Cahill noted of Romero, who is 1-0 with a 3.79 ERA in three career starts against Seattle. “His stuff was nasty. I felt like I sat down and got right back up.”

The left-hander, who will be making his road season debut, went 5-0 with a 3.25 ERA in his last six road starts of 2010.

Seattle outfielder Milton Bradley broke out of a 1-for-12 slump with a 2-for-4 effort, including a home run, in the series opener.

Third baseman Chone Figgins went 1 for 1 with a walk before leaving with a bruised left thumb. Figgins, 3 for 29 in his last eight games, is uncertain for this contest.