KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Lorenzo Cain, who is putting his name on the list of American League MVP candidates, came through again for the Kansas City Royals.

Cain's third hit turned out to be the game-winner as the Royals came from behind to top the Seattle Mariners 4-3 in 10 innings on Wednesday.

Cain's single scored pinch runner Paulo Orlando. Orlando was running for Alex Gordon, who ended an 0-for-22 slump, with a one-out single in the 10th. Ben Zobrist was hit by a pitch before Cain delivered the game-winning hit.

"I got a slider down and away and put a good swing on it," Cain said. "I drove it to right field. Orlando made a great slide and we win the game."

Cain said "not at first" was he sure Orlando would make it home with third base coach Mike Jirschele waiting before sending him.

"He paused to see if it was going to get through," Cain said. "I saw Jirsch wave him. He ended up making it."

Wade Davis (8-1) claimed the victory, while David Rollins (0-2) took the loss.

Jarrod Dyson's sacrifice fly in the ninth scored Cain with the tying run to send the game into extra innings. Cain went to third on an Eric Hosmer ground ball single to left.

Tom Wilhelmsen, who was perfect in his first 12 save chances, suffered the blown save.

"He got a ground ball from Hosmer," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. "It was actually a broken bat; just happened to find a hole. It could just as easily gone to Marte at short for a double play but it didn't work out. You turn the page and get ready for the next one."

The Royals, who have not won a division championship since 1985, dropped their magic number to two to claim the AL Central.

Left-hander Roenis Elias, who gave up seven runs on five hits, including a home run, and a walk in 3 2/3 innings in a June 24 loss to the Royals, stymied the Royals on four hits and a run over 5 1/3 innings in the rematch.

Ketel Marte, who made his big league debut on July 31, went 3-for-4 to hike his hitting streak to 11 games, a career best, and drove in two Seattle runs.

The game also featured Robinson Cano picking up career hit No. 2,000 with an eighth inning single off Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera.

Royals starter Yordano Ventura allowed three runs, all in the fifth inning, on six hits and a walk, while striking out four.

"I thought Ventura threw the ball great," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "The fifth inning started out kind of harmlessly, a little base hit up the middle, then a swinging bunt in front of the mound that he tried to hurry a little bit. Then Marte, who was a thorn in his side all night long, he attacked him with a 2-0 fastball and he drove it, cut the seam in the gap perfectly and he ended up giving up three runs there."

Four Kansas City relievers limited the Mariners to two hits over four scoreless innings

"It's what we're used to seeing," Yost said.

McClendon was not thinking how tough the Royals' bullpen was.

"We had a lead, going into the ninth, we had an opportunity to win," he said. "I wasn't thinking about getting runs off their bullpen. I really wasn't."

Hosmer singled home center fielder Cain in the seventh.

Both teams stranded a runner at second base in the first inning.

Marte led off the game with a single and advanced to second on designated hitter Nelson Cruz's groundout but went no farther.

In the bottom of the first, Zobrist doubled down the left-field line with one out and advanced to third on Cain's flyout to right but was left there when first baseman Eric Hosmer grounded out.

The Royals threatened again in the second. Designated hitter Kendrys Morales began the inning with a walk and moved to second when third baseman Mike Moustakas singled to right. Elias recovered and struck out catcher Salvador Perez and right fielder Alex Rios before retiring shortstop Alcides Escobar on a popup.

The Royals broke through with a run in the fourth. Rios' sacrifice fly to left scored Morales, who started the inning with a single and stopped at third when Perez laced a double to center.

NOTES: Mariners 1B Logan Morrison rejoined the club after being with his wife for the birth of the couple's first child Tuesday in Seattle. "I thought hitting homers was the coolest thing, but that's a little cooler," Morrison said of holding his daughter for the first time. ... Royals manager Ned Yost has yet to name his Sunday starter against the Indians. He said the candidates are RHPs Chris Young, September call-up Miguel Almonte and Jeremy Guthrie. ... RHP Felix Hernandez, who left his start Sunday with elbow tightness, will start Saturday against the Angels. ... Mariners LHP James Paxton and Royals RHP Johnny Cueto are the probables for the series finale Thursday.