The Seattle Mariners are getting closer. They swept a three-game weekend series with the Houston Astros to take a three-game lead in the AL West Division. The Mariners are 87-69, with six games left to play in the regular season, which concludes Sunday.

Entering Thursday's games, the Mariners stand 83-69 and second in the American League (AL) West. Seattle is tied with the Boston Red Sox for second in the AL Wild Card standings. Here's how the rest of the season shakes out for the Mariners, and what the team must do in order to get back into the postseason.

Gritty at home. Lazy around halftime. Up and down, but stabilizing. For better or for worse, the Colorado Rapids continue to show exactly who they are. The Seattle Sounders have been one of the more low-key bogey teams for the Rapids in recent years, but ...

First Half_1, Seattle, Vargas, 2 (Rusnak), 16th minute; 2, Seattle, Rusnak, 9 (Ragen), 43rd. Second Half_3, Seattle, Rusnak, 10 (Musovski), 47th; 4, Colorado ...