SEATTLE – Yuniesky Betancourt highlighted Milwaukee’s five-run fifth inning with his second grand slam of the season, and the Brewers beat the Seattle Mariners 10-5 on Friday night. Once the Mariners starting shortstop, Betancourt came back to haunt his former club as the teams opened a three-game series. Betancourt’s slam was his 13th homer of the season and he enjoyed every second of going deep against his former team. Betancourt drove the pitch from Joe Saunders out to left, walking and watching as he left the batter’s box, then flipped his bat before excitedly running the bases. It was his sixth career grand slam.

Playing for five minor league teams in four organizations wasn’t the craziest, and most frustrating, part of Danny Farquhar’s 2012 season. No, that would be throwing out of seven different arm slots, running the gamut from submarine to over-the-top, as a passel of pitching gurus tried to ascertain Farquhar’s optimal angle.

A year ago, the Seattle Mariners probably don’t win this game. Down 7-2 in the third inning, last season’s team probably would have eventually succumbed 8-2, 9-3, something like that.

SEATTLE – Jose Reyes homered on the first pitch of the game, added an RBI single to cap Toronto’s big fourth inning, and the Blue Jays handed Seattle ace Felix Hernandez his first loss since late May with a 7-2 win over the Mariners on Tuesday. The Blue Jays battered Hernandez (11-5) and knocked him out after just five innings, matching his shortest start of the season.

SEATTLE – Mark DeRosa’s pinch-hit, two-run single in the eighth inning gave the Toronto Blue Jays and R.A. Dickey a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Monday night. Dickey (9-11) went 7 2/3 innings, allowing one run on eight hits. The knuckleballer struck out five and walked two to earn his first win since July 1. Casey Janssen worked the ninth for his 20th save in 22 opportunities.

SEATTLE – Mark DeRosa’s pinch-hit, two-run single in the eighth inning gave the Toronto Blue Jays and R.A. Dickey a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Monday night. Dickey (9-11) went 72/3 innings, allowing one run on eight hits. The knuckleballer struck out five and walked two to earn his first win since July 1. Casey Janssen worked the ninth for his 20th save in 22 opportunities. Hisashi Iwakuma (10-5), who pitched 71/3 innings, took the loss. He allowed two runs on four hits, striking out two and walked a season-high three.

BALTIMORE – The home runs don’t come often these days for 41-year-old Henry Blanco, and neither do starting assignments. When they do, however, Seattle’s backup catcher often leaves a memorable impression.

BALTIMORE – The home runs don’t come often these days for 41-year-old Henry Blanco, and neither do starting assignments. When they do, however, Seattle’s 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.

BALTIMORE – Michael Saunders made sure everyone could breathe a little easier. After what’s transpired on this road trip and for much of the season, a four-run lead far was from safe, but it was certainly better than the alternative – a two-run lead going into the bottom of the ninth.