agons and then coming out west - Id only been here six times j

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Ask the streaking Seattle Mariners what the primary catalyst for their success has been over the past few weeks, and they wont say home runs or quality starting pitching.Theyll say its fun.Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager homered to lead the Mariners past the Los Angeles Angels 2-1 on Wednesday night, extending their longest winning streak of the season to eight games.The surging Mariners moved within 1 1/2 games of Toronto for the second AL wild card, with Detroit the only team in between.This environment is really special right now, Seager said. It starts with (manager Scott Servais). Hes built this culture and its a lot of fun. Theres a lot of belief here.Hisashi Iwakuma pitched into the seventh inning and earned his 16th win for Seattle (78-68), which completed a three-game sweep.Its the first time the Mariners have won eight in a row since July 2013. They have the longest active streak in the majors.Guys are really confident, really happy and the energy is up, Servais said. Were just focusing on one game, thats the key. And then you get on the plane and youre thinking, just win the series. And you win the first couple and you think, why not sweep it? Thats kind of been our attitude.Cruz hit a go-ahead homer in the seventh off Jose Alvarez (1-3), his 37th of the season and fourth in four games. It was the sluggers 10th home run this year against Los Angeles, more than any other Mariners player has hit in one season against a single opponent.Jay Buhner belted nine off Minnesota in 1995.Seager hit his 29th of the year off Jhoulys Chacin in the fifth to tie the score at 1.Edwin Diaz pitched a perfect ninth for his 16th save.Iwakuma (16-11) won his second straight, allowing one run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings. He exited after Cliff Pennington bunted for a leadoff single and advanced on Juan Graterols sacrifice.He dialed it up. You could see the look on his face, Servais said. Hes very good at slowing the game down. Its almost to the point where it drives you crazy, like, lets go! But thats what he does; he slows it down, he executes pitches.Tom Wilhelmsen retired the next two batters.The bullpen was really solid tonight and they needed to be, Servais said. Theres not much room for error.Chacin came out of the Angels bullpen to make his first start since Aug. 21, in place of injured Tyler Skaggs. Chacin settled for a no-decision, limiting the Mariners to one run and three hits in six innings while striking out five.I think he commanded the sinker, changed speeds very well, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. And for a guy who hadnt started very well, he threw six strong innings against a team who has been hitting the ball well.Since losing five straight starts through June and July, Chacin is 1-0 with a 2.87 ERA as a starter.Chacin might need to make another start in place of Skaggs. An MRI revealed no damage to his surgically repaired elbow, but Skaggs will be out at least a week. He said he plans to pitch again this season, however, possibly making Chacin the odd man out in the rotation at some point.I tried to call the right pitches for him and he did an unbelievable job, Graterol said. Hes doing great. Hes throwing everything for a strike. Hes always ahead in the count.Graterol scored on a wild pitch by Iwakuma in the third.TRAINERS ROOMAngels: Skaggs had an MRI to find the cause of soreness in his left forearm. The test showed no damage to his ulnar collateral ligament, which was repaired with Tommy John surgery in 2014. The MRI came back clean but Skaggs was diagnosed with a mild pronator strain and will be shut down for at least seven days. ... RHP Cory Rasmus (groin strain) was activated from the 60-day disabled list. Rasmus hasnt pitched in a major league game since June 12 and was on a rehab assignment last week with Class-A Orem. ... RHP Matt Shoemaker (skull fracture) was transferred to the 60-day DL.UP NEXTMariners: RHP Felix Hernandez opens the series against Houston on Friday. Hernandez is 7-1 with a 4.22 ERA in his last 11 starts since returning from the disabled list on July 20. Against the Astros, he is 3-3 with a 3.45 ERA in eight starts.Angels: RHP Daniel Wright pitches the opener of a four-game series against Toronto on Thursday. Set to make his fourth major league start, Wright, who was claimed off waivers from Cincinnati on Sept. 4, is 0-2 with a 7.50 ERA in the big leagues this season.Nike Air Max 2017 . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Cheap Air Max 95 . -- James Young couldnt wait to apply those tweaks to his jump shot, and the first one he made against UT Arlington told him it could be a good night. http://www.airmax2018sale.us/ . -- Nathan Pancel scored twice as the Sudbury Wolves defeated the North Bay Battalion 4-2 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Air Max White Online .Y. -- Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo had little trouble picking up his first shutout of the season against a Buffalo Sabres team thats having trouble scoring goals. Cheap Blue Air Max . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap.Penrith recruit Mitch Rein has unloaded on the boring attack of former NRL club St George Illawarra, saying he cant wait to join the exciting brand of football at the Panthers.Rein started last week at the foot of the mountains after signing a two-year deal late last month, but didnt hold back when discussing his tough year in Wollongong.The 26-year-old admitted the Dragons played a boring style of football last year and revealed a number of ex-teammates had been left just as frustrated as him.There were some tough times there, if Im being honest, at the Dragons. A lot of the boys were feeling that as well, Rein said on Tuesday after training.Growing up as a local junior down there at the Dragons and then coming out west - Id only been here six times just to play and thats it.Its a massive change and to get outside your comfort zone is something Im looking forward to and, hopefully, it can get the best out of me.Rein, who reportedly asked for more than the $350,000 the Dragons tabled to him last season, said there was an attacking element to his game that hadnt been on show in the Red V.Over the years, the Dragons have played so many different types of footy, he said.Last year wasnt very enjoyable, attacking-wise. I know its pretty well documented that its pretty boring - just wasnt working out very well down there.ddddddddddddComing here to an attacking side is going to be awesome.He admits he was left jealous of Penriths ascension as a free-flowing powerhouse who fell two games short of a fairytale 2016 grand final.They are expected to be a top-four contender next year.I remember texting one of my mates, watching them play in the semi-final and going, How good are they? - this is awesome, he said.And then to find out Im going to be a part of that next year, Im really looking forward to it.The hooker is likely to start the 2017 season behind reborn No.9 Peter Wallace, but is still confident of improving after watching a resurgence in former teammate Trent Merrin.The Kangaroos forward is allowing Rein to stay in his house as the former NSW Country Origin representative settles in at Penrith.Even talking to him throughout the year ever since he came here, how happy he is, gave me a lot of confidence. Its good to see him going really well, Rein said.To see him turn around and be enjoying his footy so much gives me a lot of confidence that hopefully I can do the same thing and improve like he has. ' ' '