Cuts » pitch, which is likely to be less lively than a traditional Centu

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The difference Wednesday night between the Mariners and Angels was a single mistake by one of the many Los Angeles pitchers still trying to figure out how to be successful in the big leagues.Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager homered to lead Seattle past the Angels 2-1, extending its longest winning streak of the season to eight games.Cruz hit a go-ahead homer in the seventh off Jose Alvarez (1-3), his 37th of the season and fourth in four games.At times hes made some pitches. Hes trying to find that blend, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. Hes got a really explosive fastball and a slider, but the last two games hes hung sliders and they went out of the park.It was the Cruzs 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.Hisashi Iwakuma pitched into the seventh inning and earned his 16th win for Seattle (78-68), which completed a three-game sweep.The surging Mariners moved within 1 1/2 games of Toronto for the second AL wild card, with Detroit the only team in between.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, Seattle manager Scott 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.Seager hit his career-best 29th homer off Jhoulys Chacin in the fifth to tie it at 1.Chacin came out of the 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. He threw 78 pitches, close to his prescribed limit.I think he commanded the sinker, changed speeds very well, 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, catcher Juan Graterol said. Hes doing great. Hes throwing everything for a strike. Hes always ahead in the count.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 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.Graterol, who made his first major league start, scored on a wild pitch by Iwakuma in the third and went 2 for 2, the only Los Angeles player with a multihit game.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 NEXTAngels 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. Air Max Australia Cheap . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec. Cheap Air Max Australia . -- Matt Kuchar and Harris English ran away with the Franklin Templeton Shootout, shooting a 14-under 58 on Sunday in the final-round scramble to break the tournament course record. http://www.cheapairmaxaustraliaonline.com/ . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season. Air Max Australia Online .J. -- Josh Cribbs was in the Pro Bowl in February and out of a job six months later. Air Max Mens Australia . The Clippers were angry about blowing a big lead; the Kings didnt like being in that kind of hole and nearly digging themselves out only to lose. Match factsAugust 27-31, 2016 Start time 1000 local (0800 GMT)Big PictureThis is South African crickets week to find out what the countrys other two big sports experience all the time. Rugby and football are used to one-off encounters with other countries.Although the cricket teams have spoken about the winner-takes-all fixture in slightly different tones, with New Zealand calling it exciting and South Africa admitting it definitely adds to the pressure of the occasion, they both agreed that more matches would be better. Faf du Plessis explained how a three or four match rubber would allow for a better ebb and flow, and Trent Boult said he wanted to test himself against the best for longer periods of time.They will both have to wait until March next year to meet again. This series will be decided on the next five days. At least, they could not have asked for a better place for the crunch clash.SuperSport Park has laid out a green carpet, with a re-laid outfield that will not pose the same problems as Durbans because it underwent the process much earlier. The pitch underwent almost three weeks of preparation and the groundsman predicts an even, if slower than usual, contest between bat and ball. The Highveld winter, meanwhile, has reached its balmiest stage, the one that would be called summer in many parts of the world.Du Plessis expected the contest to be between two high quality, bowling attacks, who he said left Durban happy, which puts both line-ups under pressure. South Africa did not apply themselves as well as they wanted to in the opener, New Zealand did not get the chance to apply themselves at all. Whoever does it better this time, will take the series.Victory for South Africa will see them climb a place on the Test rankings to No.6 while a win for New Zealand, who will remain at No.5 regardless of the result, will give them a first-ever series triumph over South Africa.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)South Africa: DWLDLNew Zealand: DWWLLIn the spotlightSouth Africas new opener Stephen Cook scored a century on debut at SuperSport Park in January and will want another big performance to cement his place at the top of the order for the rest of the Test summer. Cook played out the first hour of the Durban Test with Dean Elgar before falling to a delivery he was forced to play at from Boult. Cook has a solid technique but will want to get more on the front foot to assert himself on New Zealands attack.Before moving to New Zealand Neil Wagner played his domestic cricket in Pretoria but, like everyone else, he would not have played it in winter. Conditions will be as alien to him as to both camps but his team-mates are still hoping to tap into his knowledge of the ground as they go in search of South African wickets. Wagners short ball could be one of their key weapons, even on a surface that may not have as much bounce and carry as usual.dddddddddddd He showed in Bulawayo that he could still use the strategy with success and will want to show it at his former home ground.Teams newsSouth Africa are considering some changes based on conditions, which du Plessis summed up as a soft and moist. They are toying with the idea of playing an extra seamer or an allrounder, which could bring Wayne Parnell into the team, ahead of either Dane Piedt or JP Duminy. Should Duminy miss out, it would leave South Africa a batsman short; there may not be enough room for Stiaan van Zyl - the only reserve batsman in the squad.South Africa (possible): 1 Dean Elgar, 2 Stephen Cook, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Faf du Plessis (capt), 5 Temba Bavuma, 6 JP Duminy/Wayne Parnell, 7 Quinton de Kock (wk), 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Dane PiedtNew Zealand, on the other hand, are likely to go in with the same team from the Durban Test.New Zealand(possible): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Doug Bracewell, 9 Neil Wagner, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Trent BoultPitch and conditionsIf you are nervous about the chances of play after what happened in Durban, you can exhale. Although SuperSport Parks outfield, like Kingsmeads was relaid, the work in Centurion took place in April, more than two months before it did in Durban. In the days leading up to the match, the outfield appeared lush, with its new winter grass coating promising to help the ball to the boundary. All the focus on the outfield has taken eyes off the pitch, which is likely to be less lively than a traditional Centurion strip, although du Plessis said he spotted some moisture. Beautiful days are forecast for all five days, with temperatures in the high 20s and cloudless skies.Stats and triviaOf the 21 Tests they have played in Centurion, South Africa have only lost two - one against Australia in February 2014 and the other against England in January 2000. They have played New Zealand twice at the venue, in 2006 and 2007, and won both by big margins of 128 runs, and an innings and 59 runs respectively.Ross Taylor has not been dismissed on New Zealands African safari so far. He has batted in four innings and scored 366 runs in Zimbabwe and South Africa.QuotesThe great thing for us is that weve got a great record here; so we can rely on that and have the confidence of going into a match knowing that we play well on this ground. We trust that.Faf du Plessis is banking on home advantage in the Centurion TestIts not looked at very closely. Its about us playing our cricket, improving and learning.Kane Williamson on the prospect of winning a first-ever series in South Africa ' ' '