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 Shoes Ireland From China . The New York Rangers centre had a goal and two assists in a 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators ending a 13-game goal-scoring drought. Shoes Ireland Free Shipping . The 20-year-old Inoue landed a series of combinations and the bout was stopped 2 minutes, 54 seconds into the sixth round. Inoue, the first Japanese boxer to claim a world title in just his sixth professional fight, improved to 6-0 with five knockouts. https://www.shoesirelandsale.com/ . New Zealand brushed aside England 26-7 to win the event and reclaim top spot in the overall standings. The All Blacks, the defending World Series champions, won their third tournament this season in style, running four tries past England to claim their 11th Cup championship in Hong Kong and first since 2011. Cheap Shoes Ireland Online . He was signed to help with depth to the receiving corps because of the loss of Shamawd Chambers to the 6-game injured list. Fake Shoes Ireland . Irving played 10 minutes Sunday night before going to the locker room. He had two points and four assists, missing all five of his shots. The All-Star game MVP is the top scorer among Eastern Conference point guards with 21. MIAMI -- Veteran cornerback and rookie negotiator Cortland Finnegan sealed a deal Friday with the Miami Dolphins. Representing himself in contract talks, the eight-year veteran found a new home after an injury-plagued 2013 with the St. Louis Rams. Finnegan, who has no agent, said he spoke with a lot of general managers and head coaches around the NFL, but his only free-agent visit was to Miami. "It was a great experience," he said. "If I was like four years in the league, it would be cool to have an agent. The older you, you can understand where your market value is." The Dolphins also signed another ex-Ram, guard Shelley Smith. He agreed to a $5.5 million, two-year deal, with $1.5 million guaranteed, then left town headed for his wedding. Smith reinforces a troubled offensive line that gave up a franchise-record 58 sacks last year. Four of the five starters have departed, including tackle Jonathan Martin and guard Richie Incognito, who were involved in the teams bullying scandal. Smith started eight games over the past two seasons for the Rams, including two last year. Finnegan, who was an All-Pro in 2008, started only five games last year, when he was sidelined by a hamstring injury and then an eye injury that required surgery. The Rams signed him to a $50 million, five-year contract in 2012 but recently released him, his career in apparent in decline. "You can never know how much a guy has left in the tank if hes injured," Finnegan said. "I was injured most of the year. Now its a clean slatte.ddddddddddddIm on a new team with great coaches, and Ive got to let my play do the talking." Finnegan is known for drawing flags and fines, a sensitive issue for the Dolphins after their experience with Incognito, who had a reputation for dirty play. "I play with an edge, and Ive learned to control that throughout the years," he said. "At the same time, I want to bring that same tenacity and spunk and everything I had that maybe I was missing. A lot of people said something was missing, and maybe thats what it was. You dont want to hurt the team, but you want to play with the edge that got you where youre at." General manager Dennis Hickey said the Dolphins like Finnegans zeal on the field. "He has been a tough playmaker over his career, with a veteran presence and leadership and love and passion for the game," Hickey said. Finnegan is expected to complete for playing time with Jamar Taylor and Will Davis, who saw little action as rookies last season. The Dolphins are looking for a starter opposite Brent Grimes, a Pro Bowl cornerback re-signed last week to a $32 million, four-year deal. "Grimes is one of the best in the NFL, in my opinion, if not the best," Finnegan said. "Im excited to play with him and learn from him." Grimes and Finnegan are both 5-foot-10. A native of Milton, Fla., Finnegan was a seventh-round draft pick with the Tennessee Titans, where he spent his first six NFL seasons. He has 18 career interceptions, with four returned for touchdowns. ' ' '