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CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The young Seattle Mariners are glad to be going home after a solid road trip. Joe Saunders pitched seven efficient innings and Nick Franklin and Justin Smoak each homered to lift the Mariners to a 3-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. Seattle won four of six on its brief road swing, taking two of three against both Texas and Cincinnati. "It was a real good road trip," Seattle manager Eric Wedge said. "You play Texas team that has 50 wins on the road and here the same thing. Its fun to see the light come on with the younger guys." Franklin hit Arroyos 10th pitch of the game 380 feet into the right field seats for his sixth home run of the season and second in the first inning in three games. He hit a two-run homer on Friday off of Mike Leake, also in the first inning. Smoak extended the lead to 3-0 with a two-run drive into the left field seats on the first pitch he saw from Arroyo with two outs in the third inning. The 378-foot shot, which followed Kyle Seagers one-out walk, was Smoaks seventh. The Mariners got key home runs in the first inning of all three games. Franklin hit a two-run home run off Mike Leake on Friday. Kyle Seager hit a two-run homer off Mat Latos Saturday. Franklins solo home run Sunday got Seattle off to a fast start. "I was down two strikes just trying to make contact the best I can," said Franklin, the Mariners first pick in the 2009. The second basemans contract was selected from Tacoma on May 27. Smoak added to the lead to allow the veteran Saunders room to work. "Smoak is one of those that the light is coming on. To drive the ball the other way, shows he is getting better," Wedge said. Smoak is more concerned with driving in runners in scoring position than home runs. "Its been dreadful getting runners home from scoring position," Smoak said. "Thats number one for me. I feel great at the plate but it I need to get those guys across home plate." The third-year first baseman was hitting .133 with runners in scoring position when the game started. A day after the Reds scored 13 runs, they managed just six hits and a run off Saunders. The left-hander allowed only two base runners to reach third in the first six innings and retired 11 consecutive batters before Chris Heisey doubled into the left field corner with one out in the fifth inning. Saunders (7-8) walked none and struck out two while winning back-to-back starts for the first time this season. "I felt good," Saunders said. "They (Reds) have some guys that can hurt you so you have to keep the ball down," Saunders said. Charlie Furbush pitched a 1-2-3 eighth and Tom Wilhelmsen was perfect in the ninth for his 18th save, helping the Mariners improve to 10-2 against the Reds since interleague play began in 1997. The Reds went down in order in six of their nine innings. The Reds broke up the shutout bid in the seventh with back-to-back one-out doubles by Todd Frazier and Heisey before Saunders finished his day by getting Ryan Hanigan and pinch-hitter Derrick Robinson to ground out. "Heisey hit a good pitch," Saunders said. "(Pitching coach) Carl (Willis) came out and just said, refocus and keep the ball down. Thats what I did. I used my sinker." Bronson Arroyo (7-7) overcame a 32-pitch first inning to complete six, allowing five hits and three runs with one walk and six strikeouts. He retired 10 of the last 11 batters he faced. Neither Arroyo nor his manager Dusty Baker were surprised by the show of power by the youthful Mariners. "It didnt surprise me," Arroyo said. "They had a bunch of unknown guys. We dont see a lot of the American League, especially the West. They came out and hit the ball out of the ballpark." "We knew coming in that that would be a key," Baker said. "Home runs are a big part of their offence. We couldnt get anything going. We hit the ball a lot harder than the scorebook showed. We didnt have a lot to show for it." NOTES: Franklins home run was the club-record 235th allowed by Arroyo in his eight seasons with the Reds. He went into the game tied with former LHP Tom Browning for the record. ... It was the Mariners 22nd first-inning homer this season, most in the majors. ... Raul Ibanez extended his hitting streak to 12 games (18 for 50, .360) with a first-inning single to left. ... The Reds left after their 4-2 homestand on a seven-game road trip, starting with three at Milwaukee. ... RHP Homer Bailey, who threw a no-hitter against the Giants on Tuesday, will try to match Johnny Vander Meers 1938 feat of no-hitters in back-to-back starts. ... After going 4-2 on their road trip, the Mariners are scheduled to open a seven-game homestand with four against Boston. All-Star pitchers Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma are the Mariners projected starters on Monday and Tuesday. Fake Sneakers . Hargreaves began his career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has played with the Edmonton Eskimos and last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Wholesake Fake Air Jordan 1 . Cuban testified Thursday that he was upset when the companys CEO told him news that would reduce the value of his shares, for which hed paid $7.5 million. But he said he did nothing improper when he sold those shares over the next two days. https://www.fakeshoes.net/ . Uniteds eighth defeat of a wretched campaign means Liverpool, which currently occupies the fourth and final Champions League place, could go nine points clear of its fierce rival by beating West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Charlie Adam scored both of Stokes goals at Britannia Stadium either side of Robin van Persies equalizer, with a miserable day for seventh-place United capped by first-half injuries to centre halves Jonny Evans and Phil Jones that forced them off. Discount Fake Shoes . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. Fake Shoes . Datsyuk will miss Tuesdays game against New Jersey and could be sidelined longer, while Cleary will likely miss at least the next three games. Its been an injury-plagued season for Datsyuk, who has suited up for just 39 games. The Cowboys and Raiders have drawn many of the headlines this season, with good reason.So have the Browns and 49ers, for all the wrong reasons.With that much attention paid to those four clubs, four other teams havent exactly been center stage. Yet the Giants, Lions, Dolphins and Buccaneers deserve consideration when discussions turn to January and the playoffs.No, all four might not get there. Hey, they might all fall short, though thats unlikely.The five weeks will tell, Giants running back Rashad Jennings says. Every single week is going to tell you something. But we feel good where we are at. We know we have a good team.We have the players to take us where we want to go, but we have to execute the little details and find ways to end up on the `W side of the board throughout the season. That statement still stays true.Their stories are worth telling.NEW YORK GIANTS (8-3)The only team to beat Dallas thus far, the Giants are on a six-game tear. Their high-priced defense is coming on, particularly the pass rush with Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon living up to their contracts, and Landon Collins perhaps the NFLs most improved player.While the running game has been spotty and the offensive line banged-up, Eli Manning has a way of making the offense do just enough. In Odell Beckham Jr., they have one of the leagues true game changers.The remaining schedule is difficult, starting Sunday in Pittsburgh.PLAYOFF PROSPECTS: Very good. If healthy, they might be better than every NFC division winner except Dallas come New Years Day.DETROIT LIONS (7-4)No team plays on the edge in 2016 more than the Lions. Every Detroit game has been decided by seven points or fewer, with either Matthew Stafford or Matt Prater needing to lift the Lions to victory in the final moments.Another team with a weak running game, the Lions are getting a career season from their quarterback. With one more winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime, Stafford will become the first quarterback with eight of those in a season.Detroits defense is middle of the pack, a major reason those rallies have been needed. The rest of the schedule is challenging, with visits to Dallas and New York among them. The finale at home against the Packers could be critical.PLAYOFF PROSSPECTS: Good in a mediocre division.ddddddddddddMIAMI DOLPHINSWhen the Dolphins were 1-4, the only victory against Cleveland, their fans must have been wondering why Adam Gase was such a hot coaching prospect.Maybe they know now. Previous Miami teams might have folded and earned a high draft pick. This version, helped by the weird schedule the NFL put together (four straight home games with a bye in there), turned it around.Theyve developed a knack for coming back and winning close games as the offensive line got healthier and Gase committed to Jay Ajayi and the running game. Most impressive were consecutive road wins over San Diego and Los Angeles even when the Dolphins didnt play their best.I wouldnt say Im surprised, but Im proud of the way the guys have banded together, QB Ryan Tannehill says. Times were tough early on in this year; things werent going well. We really stuck together, kept pressing forward and came together as a team. We found a way to win in a bunch of games. This team knows how to win now. I feel like no matter what happens going forward, we can always try to find a way to win, because weve done it before.PLAYOFF PROSPECTS: Difficult because they must beat out Denver or Kansas City for a wild card. But doable.TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERSThis one is a surprise. The Bucs have taken advantage of Carolinas struggles and New Orleans inconsistencies. Tampa is improving, as strong defensive performances in wins over the Chiefs and Seahawks show.Last years top overall draft pick, Jameis Winston, is maturing as a pro quarterback, making good decisions and combining with stud receiver Mike Evans. The return of 2015 All-Pro running back Doug Martin from hamstring issues has been a huge boost.When Jameis takes care of the football, were tough, coach Dirk Koetter says. The main thing were doing better in the last few weeks is were getting turnovers and were not turning it over as much.PLAYOFF PROSPECTS: Unlikely, but watch out next year.---AP Sports Writers Fred Goodall, Steven Wine, Tom Canavan and Noah Trister contributed.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '