The Seattle Mariners got a rare day off on the road Thursday. And they needed it.

The Mariners (73-67) have lost three in a row and five of six on their nine-game trip that concludes with a three-game series at the Atlanta Braves, beginning Friday.

The skid dropped the Mariners four games behind Houston in the American League West race entering Thursday and slimmed their lead over Texas for the AL's third and final wild-card berth to 1 1/2 games. They also dropped 4 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, who are tied for the top wild-card spot.

"I think we all know what they have in them, and they know it too and it's going to turn," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. "We have a chance (Thursday) to regroup a little bit, and then go from there. We all know it's going t

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