OAKLAND, Calif. -- When the Seattle Mariners were in the midst of a recent eight-game losing streak, manager Lloyd McClendon reminded his players such stretches happen, and they will happen again. Then he challenged them to respond in a positive way. The club is now doing a little bit of everything right to get back on track. Rookie Roenis Elias struck out six while pitching into the seventh to win consecutive starts for the first time, Justin Smoak drove in three runs and the Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 8-3 on Tuesday night for their season-best fourth straight victory. "Its been something incredible," Elias said. "Everybodys together doing their job. I like my team how theyre playing baseball." Smoak hit an RBI double and Dustin Ackley a run-scoring single in the first to back Elias (3-2), who followed up a 10-strikeout gem at Yankee Stadium his last time out with another impressive start once he settled down. The Mariners jumped on Jesse Chavez (2-1) to take a quick first-inning lead for the second straight game against the As -- and Seattle scored all three of its first-inning runs with two outs on the way to its ninth win in 11 games overall. "We know that were not going to win a playoff spot in April," Michael Saunders said. "However, that being said, losing eight straight was a definite learning experience for us. Its not going to be the last time." Chavez got a scare and escaped injury in the fourth when he saved himself from a hard-hit liner by Saunders by catching the screamer that was going right for his face. "It was all reflexes, I just put my glove up," Chavez said. "As soon as I let go of the pitch I saw him make contact. Ive jumped out of the way at balls at my lower body, but Ive never had one like that at my face before." Making the play knocked him off his feet to end the fourth, and the small Coliseum crowd of 12,106 briefly fell silent. "Luckily no one got hurt. I havent seen the replay but guys said it had a chance to hit him square in the face," Saunders said. Chavez got a double play to face the minimum in the fifth, but his night ended after allowing Mike Zuninos sixth-inning sacrifice fly following a hit batsman and a walk. Oakland No. 9 hitter Nick Punto pulled Oakland back in it with a two-run, two-out single in the second. Yoenis Cespedes, back in the starting lineup after nursing a left hamstring injury, hit a leadoff home run in the sixth. The As squandered a scoring chance in the seventh against Dominic Leone, leaving the tying run on third as they again struggled with runners in scoring position. Elias allowed three runs and five hits with three walks in 6 1-3 innings in his seventh career start. Sean Doolittle struck out all four batters he faced in relief of Chavez. But Seattle added on four unearned runs in the top of the ninth against 2013 AL saves leader Jim Johnson, who was booed off the mound when pulled by manager Bob Melvin as fans headed for the exits. Smoak added a two-run single. For Wednesdays doubleheader, Felix Hernandez will pitch Game 1 for Seattle and Erasmo Ramirez the second. As manager Bob Melvin didnt announce his choice for the nightcap, though Dan Straily pitches the opener. Oakland will make right-hander Arnold Leon its 26th player for the second game but is likely to start Drew Pomeranz since he didnt pitch in relief Tuesday. The 25-year-old Leons family was scheduled to fly in from Mexico for his likely major league debut after nine seasons in the minors. The teams are playing two after an April 4 game was called because of a soggy field that had mistakenly gone without its tarp during a heavy rainstorm. NOTES: Saunders, who came in batting .393 with a homer and five RBIs in seven games batting leadoff, went 0 for 4 atop the order. "I dont like messing with success," McClendon said. "Hes been doing great, weve been doing great. Its kind of hard to change that."... As reliever Eric OFlaherty, on the disabled list since undergoing Tommy John surgery in the off-season, threw a 30-pitch bullpen session and could begin throwing to hitters soon, and Melvin said an announcement on the pitchers next step would come Wednesday. ... Melvin said Triple-A catcher Stephen Vogt, an As playoff star last October currently on Sacramentos disabled list, is close to returning from a strained oblique muscle. 02:32ET 07-05-14 New England Patriots Jake Bailey Jersey . Cavaliers shooting guard Craig Ehlo makes a solid play on the ball, but still Jordan hits the amazing shot. New England Patriots Joejuan Williams Jersey .com) - Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll knows about life in the NFL from other stints around the league. http://www.cheappatriots.com/ .The Los Angeles Lakers star passed Michael Jordan for third on the NBAs career scoring list Sunday night in a 100-94 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. New England Patriots Hjalte Froholdt Jersey . Gomes drove in all three runs, including a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning, and Cleveland rallied for a 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. Cheap New England Patriots Jerseys Online . Halak did not get the start in the Washington Capitals Tuesday night game against the St.TORONTO - Hockey Night in Canada host Ron MacLean has apologized for setting off a social media firestorm following the Montreal-Tampa Bay game. During the Canadiens 4-3 win over the Lightning, MacLean suggested a French-speaking referee should not have worked the game. The comment apparently stemmed from a complaint by Lightning coach Jon Cooper who felt his team lost because of a bad call from a ref during Sundays Game 3 defeat. MacLean suggested the NHL used a French referee to send a signal to the Florida team in the wake of Coopers complaint. Later in the CBC broadcast, MacLean said he was sorry, adding it is ”divisive any time you become about French and English in our country.ddddddddddddrdquo; He said he certainly didnt intend to go down that path. MacLean added that while he thought Francois St. Laurent ”maybe shouldnt have been put into Game 4, Id have no problem with Game 5, 6 or 7.” MacLean explained that he wouldnt send an Alberta referee in to do an Alberta game had an Alberta official been involved in a tough Game 3. ”Its not about French Canadians, certainly not about French, and thats what I kinda triggered and its easy to step into that kind of mistake.” The Canadiens swept Tampa Bay in four games. 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