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HOUSTON -- Robinson Cano continued his dominance against the Houston Astros on Wednesday to keep Seattles playoff hopes alive.Cano hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and the Mariners kept pressure on the other AL wild-card contenders with a 12-4 win over the Astros.Kyle Seager added another three-run drive in the eighth, his 30th home run this season, as Seattle pulled within 1 1/2 games of Baltimore for the second AL wild card. Houston dropped three games back as its magic number for elimination was cut to two. The Orioles were at Toronto on Wednesday night.If you want to help your starter, youve got to start early and also put pressure on the other team, Cano said. Thats what we did today.Canos career-best 36th home run, a drive off Doug Fister (12-13), landed in the first row of the Crawford Boxes in left field. Cano has nine homers and 25 RBI in 19 games against Houston this season.Huge home run early by Robbie really got everybody relaxed a little bit, manager Scott Servais said. Everybody contributed today ... everybody had to contribute and were still alive.Seattle doubled its lead in the second on Nori Aokis RBI single and Seth Smiths two-run single. Ketel Marte made it 7-0 with a run-scoring infield single in the third.James Paxton (6-7) allowed three runs and six hits in five innings, striking out eight.Fister gave up five runs and five hits over 1 1/3 innings in the shortest start of his big league career. Fister has lost five straight decisions, and Houston has lost his last seven starts -- all five innings or fewer.Getting into the game was very difficult for him, Hinch said. His command wasnt great. He didnt execute the way he does when hes good.George Springer hit a solo home run in the third for the Astros, who closed to 7-4 in the sixth on Evan Gattis solo homer.Since the Astros are off Thursday, if the Orioles win their next two games, Houston could be eliminated by the time it takes the field on Friday.Im not ready for that, Hinch said. This is not a position that were happy to be in, but its a position that we are in.FAREWELLSThe game was the final broadcast for the Astros Bill Brown, who is retiring after 30 seasons with the team. It was also the last game for Tals Hill in Minute Maid Park. The Astros will renovate the ballpark this offseason, and the center-field fence will be moved in.SCRIBNER SOLIDServais was impressed with the work of reliever Evan Scribner, who took over with two on and no outs in the sixth inning and got the Mariners out of a jam. He allowed one hit and no runs in two innings for his third hold this season.Hes been awesome probably about the last 10, 11 times out, Servais said. But you have those days where it just didnt look good and it was time to go to Scrib and he certainly picked us up today.UP NEXTMariners: LHP Ariel Miranda (5-2) will start the first of a four-game series Thursday against Oakland. Miranda will be making his 12th appearance and will be looking to rebound after giving up three runs in four innings Saturday at Minnesota.Astros: Brad Peacock (0-0) will start for Houston on Friday when it opens a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels. It will be the fifth start this season for Peacock, who has a 2.67 ERA.---AP freelancer Jeremy Rakes contributed to this report. . Nigeria beat surprise package Ethiopia 2-0 in the second leg of their playoff for a comfortable 4-1 aggregate victory. Victor Moses converted a 20th-minute penalty after an Ethiopian handball, and Victor Obinna made certain of Nigerias place in Brazil with his powerful free kick in the 82nd at UJ Esuene Stadium. . Wilson hit Schenn from behind during Tuesday nights game in Philadelphia, earning a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct. He has a phone hearing with the department of player safety, which limits any potential suspension to five or fewer games. . The 27-year-old Scrivens will be joining his third NHL club since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2010. The move also reunites with him with head coach Dallas Eakins from their time together with the American Hockey Leagues Toronto Marlies. . It is a cliché dragged out by fans and pundits regularly when discussions take place around which teams are better than others. . "Trying to breathe," he said with a grin. Bernier stopped 42 of 43 shots on Monday night, including all 22 in a hectic middle frame, his heroic performance propelling the Leafs toward an undue point in their final game before the Christmas break. PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- Paul Broadhurst shot a 6-under 66 at Pebble Beach on Friday to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of the PGA Tour Champions Nature Valley First Tee Open.The 51-year-old Broadhurst won the Senior British Open at Carnoustie in July for his first victory on the 50-and-over tour. He won six times on the European Tour and played in the 1991 Ryder Cup.With the seniors playing alongside boys and girls from The First Tee programs throughout the country, Broadhurst had 6-under 30 on the front nine in his first professional round at Pebble Beach.Actually, hit the flag on my second shot on the first, Broadhurst said. Could have gone in, I guess, but rolled 6 feet.He cooled off on the back nine, making two birdies and two bogeys.Front nine, I played really well, as good as Ive played since winning the British to be honest. Thats been, you know, been a bit of a struggle since winning, so it was nice to hit some good shots today and put a good score on the board.U.S. Senior Open winner Gene Sauers , Craig Parry, Jay Don Blake, Kevin Sutherland and Tom Pernice Jr. were 4 under. Sauers, Parry and Blake shot 68 at Pebble Beach, and Sutherland and Pernice shot 67 at Poppy Hills.Sometimes playing late in the afternoon like this, that poa annua is tough to make those putts. ... Its scary, its scaring me. But I played ggreat, I hit the ball good.ddddddddddddI hit my 3-wood good off the tee a few times and made some putts and Im pleased to death where I am.Sutherland is from Sacramento.This is my version of a home game, Sutherland said. When I was a kid we played a lot of tournaments down here.Bernhard Langer opened with a 70 at Poppy Hills. The 59-year-old German star leads the tour with four victories this season.Tom Watson, the runner-up last year who won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am twice and his only U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in 1982, had a 75 at Poppy Hills. The 67-year-old Hall of Famer had two double bogeys, a bogey and one birdie.Defending champion Esteban Toledo had a 73 at Pebble Beach.John Daly had two triple bogeys in a 74 at Pebble Beach. Fellow major champion Vijay Singh had a 75 at Pebble Beach, making three bogeys in a birdie-less round.Broadhurst played alongside the First Tees Brandon Pozzie of Bradenton, Florida.Really nice guy, Brandon, Broadburst said. Really acquitted himself really well. Plays off a 3 handicap, hits the ball really nicely. Got a little bit unlucky, but around here it can eat you up a little bit, Pebble. Looking forward to tomorrow at Poppy and well have another battle around there. ' ' '
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