Seattle @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( Apr 2, 2013 ) Seattle 7, Oakland 1
The Seattle Mariners are counting on Michael Morse to rev up their offense and the power-hitting outfielder is making a good initial impression entering Wednesday’s road game against the Oakland Athletics. Morse hit two homers and drove in four runs in Tuesday’s 7-1 rout of the Athletics. He hit 64 homers over the past three seasons for the Washington Nationals while no Seattle player reached 20 homers during that stretch.
Oakland’s offense has struggled while losing the first two games of the four-game series. Seattle starters Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma combined to allow one run and five hits in 13 2/3 innings and the Mariners have given up only six hits overall. Athletics manager Bob Melvin indicated that off-season acquisition Chris Young will be in the lineup somewhere Wednesday with left-hander Joe Saunders on the mound for Seattle. Yoenis Cespedes homered Tuesday for Oakland. Cespedes hit six homers against the Mariners as a rookie last season. Seattle third baseman Kyle Seager reached base five times Tuesday with three singles and two walks.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, ROOT Sports (Seattle), KOFY (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Joe Saunders (2012: 9-13, 4.07 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Tommy Milone (13-10, 3.74 ERA)
Saunders makes his Seattle debut after splitting last season with Arizona and Baltimore. He is 30-43 the last three seasons after going 33-14 the previous two campaigns. Saunders had a lot of success against Oakland when he was with the Los Angeles Angels and his career mark sits at 13-5 with a 3.39 ERA in 20 starts.
Milone was Oakland’s most consistent pitcher last season while making a team-high 31 starts. He has great control and walked 36 hitters but did get touched up for 24 homers. Milone went 2-1 with a 2.64 ERA in five 2012 starts against the Mariners.
WALK-OFFS
1. Seattle is 2-0 for the eighth time in franchise history.
2. Mariners C Jesus Montero is 5-for-11 with a homer against Milone.
3. RHP Bartolo Colon will start Saturday against Houston on the first day he’s eligible to pitch for the Athletics after completing a 50-game suspension for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
PREDICTION: Athletics 5, Mariners 4