MINNEAPOLIS -- Kendrys Morales is on his way back to Seattle to try and give the Mariners struggling offence a boost as they chase a playoff spot. The Minnesota Twins traded Morales to the Mariners on Thursday for minor-league pitcher Stephen Pryor. Morales hit 23 home runs and drove in 80 runs for the Mariners last season, but turned down a $14.1 million qualifying offer from Seattle to become a free agent. "Hes a professional hitter," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He gives us the opportunity to stretch out our lineup, so to speak. Hes a nice fit, switch-hitter, hitting behind Robbie (Cano). "He gives us options, what we want to do with (Kyle) Seager, where we want to hit him," McClendon said. "I like it." Morales sat out the first two months of the season while searching for a new deal, signing a pro-rated $12 million contract with the Twins on June 8. But he hit .234 with 11 doubles, one homer and 18 RBIs in 39 games with the Twins, who have faded from contention in the AL Central. The Mariners, who started the day with a half-game lead for the second wild-card spot in the AL, are hoping a return to Safeco Field could help Morales rediscover his swing. Seattle has the best ERA in the majors, but the Mariners offence is 14th in the American League in runs scored. Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik said missing spring training and the first two months of the season has had an impact on Morales slow start. He believes hes close to his hitting stride. "I dont think there is any question about that," Zduriencik said. "I thought it was interesting that he went right to the big leagues but that plays a part in the negotiations. "Nevertheless, when you look at where hes at right now, we know what Kendrys is, we know his career as a hitter, we know what he did here and now that hes in a pennant race and technically has spring training under his belt -- he did it at the major league level -- I think we all feel that Kendrys is going to hit his stride and be the Kendrys Morales we all know," he added. Morales was signed by the Twins to be the everyday designated hitter, but he played a lot of first base while filling in for the injured Joe Mauer. "I think he was a good teammate. I think he was a good influence on some of the players in this clubhouse. He got off to a surprisingly quick start and then cooled off, of course," Twins GM Terry Ryan said. "We gave it a shot. Obviously, our club hasnt responded." In the first sign that the Twins are starting to look at selling some of their veteran pieces to retool for next season, they acquired the 25-year-old Pryor in the exchange. Pryor has appeared in 34 games for the Mariners since 2012, posting a 2.81 ERA. He will report to Triple-A Rochester. Pryor, who once regularly had his pitches clocked at 100 mph, started this season on the disabled list after having surgery to repair a torn right latissimus dorsi muscle. He made one appearance for the Mariners this season. He was 2-2 record with a 5.71 ERA in 34 2-3 innings for Triple-A Tacoma this season. The Twins also recalled infielder Jorge Polanco from Class A Fort Myers. Dellin Betances Jersey . Second-seeded Sloane Stephens of the United States made lighter work of her day as she beat 2009 champion and Swiss wild card Timea Bacsinszky 6-3, 6-3. Two seeds fell: No. 4 Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium lost to Katarzyna Piter of Poland 6-4, 6-2, and No. Yogi Berra Jersey . Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Doug Martin broke the news that hes cleared for full activity moving forward. http://www.yankeesrookiestore.com/Yankees-Brian-Roberts-Kids-Jersey/ . Her return engagement begins tonight as TSN presents Day 1 coverage of the 2015 event from Melbourne. Watch Eugenie Bouchards opening round match at the Australian Open live tonight on TSN5 at 3am et/Midnight pt. Mickey Mantle Yankees Jersey . Fellow Argentina forward Gonzalo Higuain also had a brace for Napoli. And Samuel Etoo scored for his fourth different team. On a night of standout individual performances Wednesday, Schalke goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand had a game hell want to forget. Derek Jeter Jersey . The Mercedes duo of three-time Canadian Grand Prix champion Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg has won all six races to start the season, finishing one-two in the last five.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The crowd roared as Jason Vargas emerged from the dugout for the ninth inning, the Kansas City Royals trying to hold onto a 3-0 lead over the Oakland Athletics in a matchup of playoff hopefuls. Five pitches later, the crowd roared even louder. Vargas finished off his three-hitter with a flourish, breezing through the As for his sixth career shutout. It was the second shutout by Kansas City starters in the past week and the third complete game over that stretch, a big reason why the Royals are leading the AL Central. "Thats what we want to do if we want to keep playing," said Vargas, who was making just his third start since going on the disabled list for an emergency appendectomy. Vargas (9-5) retired the final 23 batters he faced, helping the Royals bounce back from having an eight-game winning streak snapped. They maintained their half-game lead over Detroit. "If its the first pitch or sixth pitch, youve got to be ready for contact for a pitch to show up in your area," said Josh Donaldson, who had one of the As three hits. "He did a good job of keeping us off balance all night." Omar Infante hit a two-run homer and Salvador Perez drove in the other run off Scott Kazmir (13-5), who lost to Kansas City for the second time in 10 days. Vargas allowed four runs over 4 1-3 innings against Oakland in his first start off the disabled list, and two runs over five innings against San Francisco his last time out. But on a mild evening at the K, he looked like the dominant left-hander of earlier this season. Mixing his pitches and catching the corners, Vargas wiggled out of a jam in the first inning and gave up a single leading off the second before muzzling Oakland the rest of the way. Vargas needed only 92 pitches over eight innings, so manager Ned Yost sent him out for the ninth rather than turn it over to All-Star closer Greg Holland. Five pitches later, he had his first shutout since last September, when he beat Oakland 3-0 as a member of the Angels. "He got back to being how he was," Yost said. Meanwhile, the Royals were giving Vargas moore than enough offence.dddddddddddd After leaving runners on the corners in the first, Kansas City broke through in the third when Nori Aoki cracked a one-out single and Infante sent a 2-0 pitch into the left-field bullpen. It was his sixth homer of the season and his first since June 27. The Royals left another runner on third in the fourth, but managed to manufacture a run in the fifth. Christian Colon led off with a single, Aoki laid down a sacrifice bunt and Infante managed to beat the throw on an infield single before Perez hit a lazy sacrifice fly to right field. Kazmir wound up allowing seven hits and a walk over seven innings. "You just have to keep after it," As manager Bob Melvin said. "At times, youre going to get well-pitched games against you and today was one of those. I dont think our approach was any worse today than it was yesterday. It was counteracted by a guy that pitched a great game." TURN OUT THE LIGHTS The game lasted 2 hours, 6 minutes, the shortest for Kansas City since Sept. 10, 2011. LEFTY HUNTER Aoki went 2 for 3 against Kazmir, raising his average to .358 against left-handers this season. Kansas City is also 29-9 in games in which he scores. AS SHUTOUTS Oakland has been shut out six times this season, twice by the Royals. The Rangers Martin Perez and the Tigers Rick Porcello have thrown shutouts. TRAINERS ROOM Athletics: SS Jed Lowrie remained in the lineup despite a fractured right index finger. ... 1B Kyle Blanks (calf strain) planned to play at Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday as he rehabs. Royals: 1B Eric Hosmer will have an X-ray Thursday on the broken bone in his right hand to determine whether he is ready to start rehabbing it. Hes been out since July 31. UP NEXT Athletics: Jeff Samardzija makes his second career appearance against Kansas City, the first a relief appearance in a 3-2 loss on Jun 25, 2011, when he was still with the C