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DETROIT -- Lloyd McClendon spent last fall hoping to get a chance to manage in a pennant race at Comerica Park. He got his wish Friday night, even if it wasnt exactly the way he had envisioned things. McClendon had hoped to become the Tigers manager when Jim Leyland retired after winning three straight AL Central titles, but general manager Dave Dombrowski picked Brad Ausmus over Leylands longtime hitting coach. McClendon ended up managing the Mariners instead, and made his return to Comerica Park with a 7-2 victory. After the game, though, he didnt want to make a big deal out of his first game back or the fact that the win moved Seattle a half-game ahead of Detroit in the race for the second AL wild card. "This was the first win of the series," he said. "Other than that, no, it was no more significant than another game." Ladner, B.C., native James Paxton (3-0) was the star for Seattle, pitching six innings and allowing one run on five hits. Robinson Cano homered, and he and Logan Morrison each scored twice as Seattle won its fifth straight and ninth in 11 games. "That kid has a really nice downward angle on his fastball, and you end up hitting a lot of grounders and choppers off him," Ausmus said. "We actually hit some balls hard, but it seemed like they all went to the shortstop (Chris Taylor), and he just kept making play after play." The Tigers dropped 1 1/2 games behind first-place Kansas City in the AL Central, thanks to a 12-17 stretch since the All-Star break. "Obviously, wed rather be in first place by 15 games, but were not," Ausmus said. "Theres nothing we can do about what weve done up until now. You just go out tomorrow and try to start winning games again." Rick Porcello (13-8) struggled badly in his first appearance since pitching the final three innings of Detroits 19-inning loss in Toronto on Sunday. After a five-start stretch in which he had a 1.75 ERA, the 25-year-old righty gave up six runs -- five earned -- and 10 hits in six innings. He didnt walk a batter, but struck out only three. "The game in Toronto had nothing to do with what happened tonight," he said. "I had plenty of time to get ready for this start, and I prepared just like I always do. I just didnt pitch well." Seattle jumped out to a quick three-run lead in the second. Following a leadoff single and a hit batter, Morrison and Endy Chavez each hit an RBI single. Taylor bunted for a single, loading the bases with none out, but ex-Tiger Austin Jackson grounded into a double play, helping Porcello to escape only down 3-0. An inning earlier, Jackson received a long standing ovation when he led off his first game at Comerica Park since the trade-deadline deal that sent him to Seattle and brought ace pitcher David Price to the Tigers. "That was a special moment for me," said Jackson, a fan favourite in Detroit for his defence in centre field. "Once the game started, it was business as usual, but that was fun." Cano made it 4-0 with a long homer on the first pitch of the third. After the Tigers got on the board in the bottom half, Taylor restored the four-run lead with an RBI single in the fourth, and Detroit never threatened again. "The run in the fourth was the one that really frustrated me, because we were still within 4-1, and with this offence, thats manageable," Porcello said. "Our guys were battling out there, and I couldnt keep them in the game." MIXED-UP BOBBLEHEAD The Tigers gave away Miguel Cabrera bobbleheads that depict him holding his two MVP trophies. The only problem? The trophies say "Most Valuable Player, National League", which would be news to Buster Posey and Andrew McCutchen, who won the 2012 and 2013 NL MVP awards, respectively, while Cabrera was winning in the AL. UP NEXT The Tigers and Mariners square off again Saturday night with a marquee pitching matchup. Price (11-8) will make his third start for Detroit, and Seattle counters with Felix Hernandez (12-3). Hernandez, who made his major league debut at Comerica Park, is 9-0 in his last 11 starts against the Tigers, but will be facing Price for the first time. TRAINERS ROOM Mariners: With the big lead, Cano left in the eighth inning, partially as a precaution after fouling a pitch off his foot early in the game. He isnt expected to miss any time. ... OF Michael Saunders (oblique) resumed his rehab stint with Triple-A Tacoma after missing time for the birth of his child. In five games with Tacoma, he was hitting .353 with a .542 on-base percentage. Tigers: RHP Justin Verlander (shoulder) isnt scheduled to pick up a baseball until Tuesday, when he will try some short tossing. Ausmus said Verlanders schedule will be based entirely on how he feels then, but the hope is still that he will start next Friday in Minnesota. MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUT Tigers reliever Melvin Mercedes made his major league debut with two perfect innings, needing just 23 pitches. He became the 11th player to make his debut with the Tigers this season. Jason Kidd Suns Jersey .ca has you covered for whos in, whos out and what to expect from all 30 teams. Jamal Crawford Jersey .com) - Tonight will go a long way in determining the two wild card spots in the Eastern Conference. http://www.officialsunsfanstore.com/steve-nash-suns-jersey/ ., climbed from seventh to fifth spot in womens competition Sunday at the ISU world junior figure skating championships. Steve Nash Suns Jersey .Y. -- Mark Steenhuis scored four goals and added two assists to lead the Buffalo Bandits over the Toronto Rock 12-10 in National Lacrosse League action on Saturday. Deandre Ayton Jersey . Brassard and Coyotes defenceman Derek Morris were battling for position in the crease when a nudge from Morris sent Brassard on top of Smith late in the third period. DURHAM, N.C. -- If this was Jabari Parkers last home game at Duke, what a farewell it was. The freshman phenom scored a season-high 30 points and added 11 rebounds in the fourth-ranked Blue Devils 93-81 win over No. 14 North Carolina on Saturday night. In leading Duke in both scoring and rebounding all season, he hasnt looked like a first-year player very often. And he doesnt want to be called one, either. "No more freshman," he said. "I dont like getting in that category anymore because my team needs me more than just an 18-year-old. They need somebody with experience through the whole game. ... Its time to grow up." Rodney Hood added 24 points to help Duke (24-7, 13-5) end the Tar Heels 12-game winning streak and clinch the No. 3 seed in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. Duke never trailed, shot 51 per cent -- 57 per cent in the second half -- and dominated the ACCs best team on the glass, outrebounding North Carolina 34-20. "I think at the end of the day, it just came down to our want-to against their want-to, and it just wasnt there -- the sense of urgency," North Carolina big man James Michael McAdoo said. Marcus Paige -- who led UNCs second-half comeback two weeks ago -- finished this one with 24 points, while Brice Johnson had 15 and McAdoo added 13 for the Tar Heels (23-8, 13-5). They shot nearly 60 per cent but couldnt overcome their disadvantage on the glass and are locked into the No. 4 seed in the league tournament. Leslie McDonald added 12 points for North Carolina, which was denied its fourth win over a top-five team, but briefly made things tense in the final minutes when Paige converted a four-point play to make it 81-73 with 2:50 left. But the Tar Heels point guard missed 3s on the next two possessions -- with Parker blocking the second of those with 2 1/2 minutes left. Quinn Cook hit two free throws, Amile Jefferson added another and Parker hit two foul shots with 2:03 left to push the lead to 86-73 and effectively end it. Cook finished with 11 points and Rasheed Sulaimon added 10. And in what might have been his finale at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Parker put on quite a show. "Its hard to say what it is," North Carolina coach Roy Williams said, referring to an intangible quality coach Mike Krzyzewski had chided Duke for being without in its loss to UNC. "But whatever the hell it is, Jabari found it," Williams added. Parker hit 10 of his 17 shots, cracked his previous high of 29 points set last month at Boston College and showed off all the skills that have him as a likely high NBA draft pick -- should he decide to forgo his finnal three seasons of college eligibility and turn pro.dddddddddddd But he says he has time to make that decision. "Mostly what Im focusing on is to do as much as possible with these guys (during) my time here," Parker said. Parker set the tone early by converting repeatedly around the rim, and he hit two of his four attempts from 3-point range -- including one from the corner that gave Duke its largest lead, 74-55, with 8 1/2 minutes left. "I just thought he had his best spirit to score tonight that hes had all season, because theyre really good, and at times he just wasnt going to be denied," Krzyzewski said. "And then, boom, boom, boom, you hit those 3s (and) that lead can go to double digits quick." Indeed, when those 3s are falling, the Blue Devils are tough to beat. When theyre not, Duke is usually in trouble. The Blue Devils were only 5 of 22 from long range in their 74-66 loss in Chapel Hill. They made just 6 of 27 from beyond the arc in a 10-point loss at Wake Forest on Wednesday night. In this one, Duke missed 12 of its first 14 3-pointers and held a tenuous 47-39 lead when pesky senior guard Tyler Thornton picked up his fourth foul with 17:11 left. Cook came on to replace him and immediately hit a straightaway 3 that started the Blue Devils big burst. "It was good to see the ball go in for the first time," Cook said, adding that Parker "told me he was going to hit me as soon as I came in the game. Thats just the trust we have in each other." Andre Dawkins followed with another one from the corner to help the Blue Devils open up a 53-41 lead. Parker then added a jumper and two free throws before Cook hit and up-and-under layup. And Hood then followed that with a 3 with 14 minutes left to give Duke its largest lead to that point, 62-46. That shot whipped an already amped-up Cameron crowd -- which included Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett and his quarterback, an apparent Blue Devils fan, Tony Romo cheering enthusiastically from behind the scorers table -- into an absolute frenzy. There were plenty of famous faces in the crowd for the latest renewal of college basketballs fiercest rivalry: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell -- wearing a Duke sweater -- watched from one baseline, while former Oklahoma coaches Barry Switzer and Billy Tubbs sat on the other one. And Hood and Parker kept them entertained all night. "Jabari was sensational, and so was Rodney," Krzyzewski said. "This is the first game where the two of them were sensational together. Theyve both been good together, but they were sensational together." ' ' '