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SEATTLE -- Mike Zunino picked a perfect time to snap out of his slump.Zunino delivered the go-ahead home run in the seventh inning and Seattle held on for a 3-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Thursday night, keeping the Mariners on the edge of the AL wild-card chase.Its nice to be in that spot and its nice to come through, said Zunino, whose last home run was Sept. 11. Its nice when you go through struggles and work through it and get that opportunity and they go in your favor.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.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.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.I need to control emotions, try to make pitches and try to help the team win, to give us a chance to make the playoffs said Diaz, who had blown two of his three previous save opportunities. We are so close right now.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 Kendall 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 an ending double play grounder.It came down to situational at-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.GOOD MONTH FOR MIRANDAAlthough he did not get the decision, Miranda allowed just one run on four hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out six. Miranda, acquired from Baltimore on July 31 in exchange for LHP Wade Miley, is 4-1 with a 2.62 ERA in six September starts. Over his last four starts, Miranda has held opposing batters hitless in eight consecutive at-bats with runners in scoring position.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 (7-11, 4.35 ERA) up-and-down season seems to be back on the upswing. Walker was 2-0 with 1.44 in four April starts, then went 0-5 in May and eventually was sent to Triple-A. Hes 3-1 in his last four starts. Nike Air Force 1 Cheap Outlet . -- Ty Montgomery had 290 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and fifth-ranked Stanford held on to beat No. Air Max 97 Silver Bullet For Sale . Andrew Luck lost his favourite target and the Indianapolis locker room lost one of its most revered leaders when Reggie Wayne was diagnosed Monday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that will cost him the rest of the season. http://www.fundfdr.org/air-max-tn-cheap-shoes/nike-air-max-tn-mens.html . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. Nike Tn Trainers . Canada is now down to its 22-player limit, although but players wont be registered until Christmas Day. Changes could still be made as a result of a suspension or injury. Nike Air Force One Mid Top . Numbers Game looks into the Canadiens securing the services of Thomas Vanek in a trade with the New York Islanders. The Canadiens Get: LW Thomas Vanek and a conditional fifth-round pick. PARIS -- Rafael Nadal groused last week that he was playing so badly he might soon be home fishing in Mallorca. Then came a transformation. Nadal stood at the net following his latest French Open win wearing that familiar crooked grin, clay caked on his arm, his leg and even the back of his shirt, landlocked and loving it. The fish were spared, and Nadal has lately enjoyed smooth sailing at Roland Garros heading into his semifinal showdown Friday against top-ranked Novak Djokovic. After falling behind in each of his first three matches, Nadal has won 12 consecutive sets. Hes 57-1 at Roland Garros and on the verge of becoming the first man to win eight titles at the same Grand Slam event. "I really am playing better here," he said. "I said I needed to make a change. I was confident that I can do it, and I did." And so hes ready to renew his rivalry with Djokovic. The winner will play for the title Sunday against No. 4-seeded David Ferrer or No. 6 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who meet in the other semifinal. Tsongas trying to become the first Frenchman since Yannick Noah in 1983 to win Roland Garros, and partisan Parisians might consider his match the main event Friday. But Nadal vs. Djokovic has the feel of a final, and its a match much anticipated since the draw was announced two weeks ago. Because Nadals ranking slipped during a recent injury layoff, he and Djokovic wound up in the same half of that draw. As a result, theyll meet before the final at a major event for the first time in five years. While tennis players are known to complain, neither Nadal nor Djokovic seems to mind meeting in the semifinals. "I dont want to talk about what if," Djokovic said. "Its going to be a good match." Nadals 19-15 against Djokovic, including 12-3 on clay, 6-3 in Grand Slam events and 4-0 at the French Open. Nadal won when they met in the final at Roland Garros a year ago. But he bristled at the suggestion hes the favourite this time. "I dont care at all," he said through a translator. "Frankly, what words could I find to tell you? I mean, what else can I say? I try and play my best tennis, and the least of my concerns is to know if Im favoured or not. These are words that will be carried away by the wind." He knows too well that Djokovics dangerous even on Nadals best surface. The Serb won their most recent meeting six weeks ago in the Monte Carlo final on clay, although that was best-of-three sets, rather than the more grueling Grand Slam format that plays to Nadals strength. "Its tough to compare," Djokovic said. &"Its best-of-five here, Grand Slam, different conditions.dddddddddddd But still, there is some kind of mental edge maybe if you win against or lose against somebody in the previous encounters. ... I have a good game for him because my style is to be aggressive, but I can also defend well and have that transition game. Im going to be confident and step into the court with self-belief that I can win." Djokovic has cause for confidence. The six-time Grand Slam champion has reached the semifinals at 12 consecutive major tournaments, and hes 33-4 this year. "Im glad that I have been playing very consistent and always playing my best tennis in the Grand Slams," he said. "Thats what I want." Roland Garros is the only major title he has yet to win, but with two more victories this week, he would become the eighth man to complete a career Grand Slam. And he has beaten Nadal more than any other player. "I know what it takes to win against him," Djokovic said. Hes one of only two players to defeat Nadal this year. Since returning in February from his seven-month layoff because of a left knee injury, Nadal is 41-2 with six titles. But he looked vulnerable when the French Open began, dropping the opening set in each of his first two matches -- remarkable considering he has lost only 16 sets in nine years at Roland Garros. His shots lacked their usual depth and sting, and there was speculation his troublesome knees were hindering his movement and leaving him on the defensive. Then the heat rose in Paris, and Nadal warmed to his task. "It has always been the case: The deeper I go, the better I play usually," Nadal said. "Its the same this year. Its the same old story." In recent matches the left-hander has looked much more comfortable striking the ball, his vicious saw-blade topspin reducing each opponents one-handed backhand to shreds. Djokovic has a two-handed backhand. He also has the superior serve, the larger repertoire of shots and plenty of motivation. He has listed the French Open as his most important tournament this year. And when his childhood coach died last week in Belgrade, he said he wanted to win the title for her. But the match also means plenty to Nadal, his clay-court reign at stake each time he takes the court. "Im going to be nervous," he said. "If not, go home and do another thing. Because if you are not nervous to play the semifinals against the best player of the world, its because you are not enjoying or you dont feel passion for this game." Fishing can wait. ' ' '