M’s Rowland-Smith makes strong bid

PHOENIX – Second baseman Rickie Weeks had three more hits to push his hitting streak to eight games and 15 of 16, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Seattle Mariners 9-7 on Monday.

Weeks, whose home run gave Milwaukee a 1-0 victory over San Francisco on Sunday, singled in the third inning, doubled in the sixth – a ball Mariners center fielder Endy Chavez lost in the sun – then hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh.

Seattle rallied to tie it 7-all in the ninth on Mike Wilson’s second home run of the game, a three-run shot.

But backup infielder Casey McGehee rescued the Brewers with a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth.

Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu said starter Ryan Rowland-Smith made a step toward earning the No. 5 spot in the rotation.

“That is something we’re going to have to seriously look at, particularly if he continues to pitch the way he did today,” Wakamatsu said of Rowland-Smith.

Rowland-Smith gave up two runs on five hits in six innings, including a two-run homer by Prince Fielder in the fifth after Chavez lost the ball hit by Weeks in the sun.

“If I break camp as a starter, a reliever, or a backup catcher, I just want to be here,” said Rowland-Smith, who was 5-3 with 12 starts and 47 appearances for Seattle last season. “The key is staying within myself, not trying to be perfect.”