Mariners call up five

The Associated Press | • Published September 02, 2008

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ARLINGTON, Texas — The Mariners added five players to their expanded roster from Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday, with right-hander Brandon Morrow scheduled to start Friday night against the New York Yankees in place of injured lefty Jarrod Washburn.

Mariners manager Jim Riggleman said Washburn will miss at least one start due to a strained abdominal muscle.

Also called up were infielder Matt Tuiasosopo, catcher Rob Johnson, and right-handers Mark Lowe and Jared Wells. Morrow went 1-2 with a 5.01 ERA in five starts with Tacoma after being optioned by the Mariners on Aug. 5 to make the conversion from reliever to starter. Morrow made 40 relief appearances for Seattle this season, converting 10 of 12 save opportunities and compiling 35 scoreless outings.

Tuiasosopo spent the entire season with Tacoma, setting career highs with a .281 average, 13 homers and 73 RBIs in 111 games. His father, Manu, played football for UCLA and the Seattle Seahawks, and his brother, Marques, is a former quarterback for the University of Washington who has played in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders and New York Jets.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Mariners transferred infielder Willie Bloomquist from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL. Bloomquist is out for the season with a strained right hamstring.