The Seattle Mariners set aside their offensive struggles for at least one night and now look to gain a split of a four-game series when they visit the Oakland Athletics on Thursday afternoon.
The Mariners scored 12 runs during a four-game losing streak before exploding for 16 hits and registering a season-high run total in a 16-3 victory over the Athletics on Wednesday.
The bottom four batters in the Seattle order combined for 13 RBIs and were 10-for-17 with a homer and six doubles.
“Offensively, we did a ton of great stuff up and down the lineup,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “… We have talked all week about the effort being there. These guys continued to fight, and this was a great way for them to bust out.”
The splurge was timely after Oakland was victorious in each of the first two games by delivering walk-off hits. The Wednesday victory moved Seattle (70-70) within 5 1/2 games of the Houston Astros in the American League West. The Mariners are also 5 1/2 games out in the AL wild-card chase.
No. 8 hitter Luis Urias went 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs. No. 7 batter Mitch Garver also drove in four runs and was 2-for-5. Garver had been in a 2-for-26 slump over his previous 10 appearances.
No. 6 hitter Victor Robles went 3-for-4 with three runs and three RBIs. No. 9 batter Dylan Moore was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Urias recently returned to Seattle after a demotion of three-plus months to Triple-A Tacoma.
“I was trying to get my confidence back,” Urias said of the minor league stint. “I wasn’t playing that much when I was here, so when I went down to Tacoma, I was focusing on having fun.”
The Athletics had won six of nine before the tough night at the ballpark.
“You just flush this game,” Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said. “I can’t remember a game we played this lopsided in a while, which is a good sign. At the same point, it doesn’t feel good to drop a game like that. We have a chance to win the series. That’s our focus (Thursday).”
Oakland’s Lawrence Butler doubled leading off the first inning to set a franchise record with an extra-base hit in nine straight games. The 24-year-old right fielder has seven homers and five doubles during the streak, across which he is batting .436 (17-for-39).
“He solidified his name in the record books with this organization already at a young age,” Kotsay said. “He’s having a great second half. It’s fun to watch, it’s exciting to watch.”
Kotsay said after the Wednesday game that right-hander Joey Estes (6-6, 4.29 ERA) would start on Thursday.
Estes, 22, is 2-0 with a 0.79 ERA in two starts against Seattle this season. He gave up one run and two hits in five innings vs. the Mariners on May 11, then blanked them on one hit over 6 1/3 innings on June 5.
Estes lost his major league debut against Seattle late last September when he allowed six runs (five earned) and six hits over 4 2/3 innings.
Cal Raleigh is 3-for-7 with two homers against Estes.
Oakland native Bryan Woo (6-2, 2.30 ERA) will start for Seattle. The right-hander has dominated Oakland hitters in four career starts.
Woo hasn’t allowed a run in 21 1/3 innings against the Athletics. He has given up nine hits and six walks while registering 20 strikeouts.
Woo, 24, has allowed three hits and one walk while fanning nine in 10 1/3 innings against Oakland this season.
He pitched 4 1/3 innings of one-hit ball on May 10, then picked up a victory on June 6 when he blanked the Athletics on two hits over six innings.
Seth Brown is hitless in eight at-bats against Woo, while Shea Langeliers and Brent Rooker are both 0-for-6.
Woo received a no-decision on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels. He gave up four runs and five hits over 6 1/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
