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SEATTLE -- The last-place Oakland Athletics fell just short of handing the Seattle Mariners a crushing loss to their playoff hopes.Mike Zunino delivered the go-ahead home run in the seventh inning and Seattle held on for a 3-2 victory over Oakland on Thursday night, keeping the Mariners on the edge of the AL wild-card chase.Oakland lost for the ninth time in 10 games.Seattle is two games behind Baltimore and Toronto with three games to play. The Orioles defeated the Blue Jays 4-0 to pull even atop the wild-card race. Detroit, which was rained out against Cleveland, is a half-game ahead of the Mariners, who have three left against Oakland.We can only control what we do here, Mariners manager Scott Servais said. We need help. We know that. I think everybody thought the way Toronto was playing, theyd probably win two out of three at home. Didnt happen. The way we look at it, were still alive. Weve got to win tomorrows game and again, pray for a little help.Zunino, hitting .139 over his last 25 games, opened the seventh with his 12th home run, sending a 2-2 pitch from Liam Hendriks (0-4) deep over the wall in left to put Seattle up 2-1.Seattle added a run in the eighth on a two-out single by Leonys Martin, a walk to Zunino and Ketel Martes RBI single.Steve Cishek (4-6) came on to stifle an Oakland threat in the seventh with an inning-ending double play and added a perfect eighth. Rookie Edwin Diaz notched his 18th save, despite allowing a run and three hits in the ninth.Oakland starter Kendall Graveman, tagged for eight runs on 12 hits in five innings in his last start against Seattle, gave up just one run on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.We made an adjustment from the last two times and we started to pitch in tonight, and said if they are going to beat us they are going to have to beat us when we throw fastballs in, Graveman said. That lineup over there, they stack a lot of lefties in on you, and if you start pitching them away they start to see it out there and put some good swings on it. For the most part, I thought we commanded it pretty well tonight.The Mariners took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on three consecutive singles before running themselves out of the inning. Kyle Seager reached on an infield single when Graveman couldnt find the handle on his two-out dribbler along the first-base line. Adam Lind followed with a single to center. Martin singled through the right side, scoring Seager from second. Martin continued for second, but was caught in a rundown. Lind was thrown out at home trying to score on the play.Chad Pinder brought Oakland even in the sixth with his first career home run, a leadoff shot to left for the only run off starter Ariel Miranda.Oakland had runners on first and third with one out in the seventh, but failed to score. Danny Valencia singled to open, but was forced at second on Brett Eibners fielders choice groundout to short. Yonder Alonso then singled Eibner to third. Cishek relieved and enticed pinch-hitter Max Muncy into a ending double play grounder.It came down to situational out bats, Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. We had runners at third with less than two outs, then we hit into a double play and two strikeouts . Our situational at-bats hurt us tonight.VALENCIA CLOSING STRONGDanny Valencia, who double and singled, is hitting .326 over his last 12 games with two doubles, a homer, three RBI and six walks. On the road this season, Valencia is batting .323 (14 for 43).UP NEXT:As: RHP Raul Alcantara (1-2, 5.75 ERA) makes his fifth career start since being called up from Triple-A Nashville on Sept. 5. He faced Seattle on Sept. 11, giving up two runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings without a decision.Mariners: RHP Taijaun Walkers up-and-down season seems to be back on the upswing. 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Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. Olivier Giroud Jersey . The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Lions have not announced the hiring, which was first reported by ESPN. Lombardi, the grandson of former Green Bay Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, has been an offensive assistant on Sean Paytons New Orleans staff since 2007. PHILADELPHIA -- Jimmy Paredes wouldve loved to hit a triple for the cycle, but hes happy nevertheless just to be able to contribute.Paredes singled, doubled, homered and drove in three runs and the Philadelphia Phillies held on to complete a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies with a 7-6 victory Sunday.Paredes, who entered batting .198 in a part-time role, matched his season-high for hits and RBI against Colorado while making a rare start in left field.They gave me my chance and I did the best I can, he said. You never know when theyre going to give you a chance. I come early every day to get ready and wait for my chance.The only thing sweeter wouldve been a triple to complete the cycle.Next time, Paredes said.Cesar Hernandez extended his on-base streak to 21 games with a fourth-inning walk and had an RBI single. Cameron Rupp, Odubel Herrera and Freddy Galvis also had RBI for the Phillies, who have won four straight games.Everybodys contributing, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. I feel like everybodys getting opportunities. When you win a game, the more players that are involved in that game, the happier I am. It unites the team.Charlie Blackmon homered twice and doubled for the Rockies, who have lost three in a row and seven of eight. Blackmon finished the series with five home runs, and is batting .548 with eight homers and 14 RBI in his last nine games.Blackmon became the first Rockies player ever to hit five homers in a three-game series and the first player to do it in a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park.It was fun to watch, Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. When a guy gets in a zone like that, its pretty amazing.Blackmon downplayed his accomplishment.If you play baseball long enough, eventually youre going to get hot, he said. Im grateful Im seeing the ball, but Im not going to get too excited.Nick Hundley added three hits and a pair of RBI for the Rockies.Severino Gonzalez (1-2) gave up one run on two hits in two innings in relief of starter Adam Morgan, who was injured in the fourth inning.Jeanmar Gomez gave up two runs but got Gerardo Parra to pop out to center for the final out with the tying run on third base for his 31st save in 34 chances. Hundley hit a two-out, bases-loaded single to pull Colorado to within a run.The Phillies scored three runs in the fifth to break a 3-all tie. Galvis hit the go-ahead RBI single, Paredes doubled home a run and Hernandez had an RBI single to give the Phillies a 6-3 lead.Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood (10-8) didnt record an out against any of the four batters he faced in the frame, leaving after giving up six runs -- four earned -- on six hits with four strikeouts and five walks in four-plus innings. The loss was the first on the road this season for Chatwood, who entered 6-0 with a 1.30 ERA away from Coors Field.On a hot, humid afternoon, the teams played sloppy baseball by combining for five errors, a wild pitch, a balk and a hit batter. There also was a botched tag and bobbled ball that resulted in a run for each team.The craziest inning was the bottom of the third whhen the Phillies scored a run to take a 2-1 lead.ddddddddddddThe Rockies had two errors, a wild pitch and a bobbled ball but managed to escape a one-out, bases-loaded jam, giving up just one run.After Aaron Altherr singled with one out and went to second on Chatwoods throwing error, Maikel Franco reached on third baseman Nolan Arenados throwing error. Both advanced on Chatwoods wild pitch, causing Chatwood to intentionally walk Ryan Howard to load the bases.Rupp then hit a grounder to first that looked like a sure out and possibly an inning-ending double play, but first baseman Ryan Raburn bobbled the ball and attempted to get the lead runner at home. The throw was late and the Phillies went up a run, but couldnt add on as Chatwood struck out Herrera and got Galvis to fly out.Arenado had a pair of errors and Chatwood and Daniel Descalso had one each for Colorado. Herrera dropped a ball in center field for Philadelphias lone error.CHATWOODS BACKChatwood said he experienced upper back tightness similar to that which landed him on the disabled list from June 19-July 5. He wasnt able to throw his fastball away to right-handers or inside to lefties or finish on his breaking ball. Hes having further tests on Monday.SUPER SLIDEThe Phillies also had a miscue in the third inning that wasnt scored an error when Hernandez failed to apply the tag on Blackmon at second base after a throw from left field beat Blackmon with time to spare. Second-base umpire Gary Cederstrom called Blackmon out, but replays showed Hernandez never touched Blackmon.Blackmon avoided the tag with a nifty slide in which he kicked his legs away from Hernandez.Asked how to describe it, he said, Like a ninja spiderman.STREAK SNAPPEDCarlos Gonzalez struck out swinging as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning, ending his major league-leading 19-game hitting streak.TRAINERS ROOMRockies: Gonzalez has been battling a left ankle sprain. He was out of the starting lineup after starting Saturday nights game, but said he didnt suffer a setback and the club thought it best for him to rest his ankle on a day game following a night game.Phillies: Morgan left the game in the fourth after suffering a left forearm contusion while taking Nick Hundleys line drive off his left forearm. Morgan, who was called up from Triple-A before the game in place of injured right-hander Zach Eflin, allowed two runs on five hits.UP NEXTRockies: Colorado returns home for the start of a six-game homestand that begins Monday night for the first of three against the Nationals. Rockies LHP Jorge De La Rosa (7-7, 5.25) faces Washington RHP Max Scherzer (12-7, 2.80).Phillies: The Phillies have Monday off before hosting Chase Utley and the Dodgers for three games beginning Tuesday night when Philadelphia RHP Vince Velasquez (8-4, 3.94) opposes Los Angeles RHP Kenta Maeda (11-7, 3.31). Utley will be making his first trip back to Philadelphia since being traded to the Dodgers last season. ' ' '