Oakland @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 30, 2010 ) Oakland 8, Seattle 1

Trevor Cahill will try to complete an outstanding season on a high note.

The youngster seeks to rebound from one of his worst starts of the season to post an 18th victory as the Oakland Athletics continue a season-ending four-game road trip against the Seattle Mariners.

The Athletics snapped a six-game losing streak with an 8-1 victory Thursday in the series opener. Gio Gonzalez won his 15th game and Rajai Davis had four of Oakland's 16 hits.

Oakland needs to win the final three games to reach .500 for the first time since 2004.

The 22-year-old Cahill (17-8, 3.08 ERA) has had quite a season despite his late-season swoon. He is the youngest pitcher to record 17 wins in the major leagues since Mark Prior of the Chicago Cubs won 18 in 2003. In Oakland lore, Cahill is the youngest 17-game winner since Vida Blue recorded 24 wins in 1971 and the youngest right-hander since Bullet Joe Bush in 1914.

Cahill's name was mentioned in Cy Young talks after a seven-start stretch from July 23-Aug. 25 in which he compiled a 1.00 ERA to improve to 14-5 with a 2.43 ERA. However, the 6-foot-6 righty faded from Cy Young contention soon thereafter, as he has gone 3-3 with a 6.09 ERA in his last six starts.

Cahill was lit up by the Texas Rangers on Sunday, allowing seven runs and a season-high 12 hits in four innings in a 16-9 drubbing. But Cahill still leads the American League in opponent batting average (.220) and on-base percentage (.287).

The 2006 second-round draft pick is seeking his first win against the Mariners. He was 0-3, 3.80 ERA in four starts last season but hasn't faced the American League West cellar dwellers this season.

Seattle is two losses away from a second 100-loss season in three years and will hand the ball to Luke French (5-6, 4.20 ERA). The left-hander is making his 14th major-league start this season in his third stint with the Mariners. He was an All-Star at Triple-A Tacoma, going 11-3 with a 2.94 ERA in between the stints with the big club.

French is 4-3 with a 3.71 ERA in his last eight starts. He beat Tampa Bay 6-2 on Sunday, allowing two runs and eight hits over five frames. The 25-year-old has posted a 2.58 ERA at Safeco Field this season, but he has lost both starts against Oakland this season.

French will need his best stuff because scoring runs has been a big problem for Seattle all season. The Mariners have been held to two runs or fewer 71 times and they are 22-78 when held to three runs or less.