Seattle @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 4, 2014 ) Seattle 0, Oakland 0

Felix Hernandez struck out 11 in his season debut and attempts to follow it up with another strong outing when the Seattle Mariners visit the Oakland Athletics on Saturday. Hernandez allowed two earned runs and four hits in six innings to claim the victory as he strives to improve on last season’s 12-10 record. Friday’s game between the two teams was postponed when the field was unplayable due to the grounds crew not putting the tarp on the field after Thursday’s game.

The Athletics are confident the field will be playable on Saturday but there concerns expressed by the Mariners so a decision was reached to play just one game and not attempt to play a doubleheader. “That’s probably the worst conditions I’ve seen in all my years in baseball. It’s not safe,” Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon told reporters after the postponement. “It was just a safety issue more than anything. They made the right decision.” Oakland won Thursday’s series opener 3-2 behind Coco Crisp’s walk-off homer in the 12th inning.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), CSN California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (1-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Dan Straily (2013: 10-8, 3.96)

Hernandez pitched well against the Athletics last season, putting together a 2-1 mark with a 1.31 ERA in 20 2/3 innings. He held Oakland hitters to a collective .183 average and struck out 22 while walking just three. The success continued a career-long trend of excelling against the Athletics as he is 15-7 with a 2.66 ERA in 29 career starts.

Straily has struggled against Seattle in three career starts, going 0-1 with an 8.25 ERA. He's allowed 15 hits, including four homers, and 11 walks in 12 total innings against the Mariners. Straily held opposing hitters to a .211 average in 12 home starts last season when he went 5-4 with a 3.76 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Crisp has 143 stolen bases with the Athletics, one behind Reggie Jackson for fifth most during the team’s Oakland tenure.

2. Mariners 3B Kyle Seager is off to a 1-for-11 start with five strikeouts.

3. Oakland INF Alberto Callaspo is batting .295 in 44 career at-bats against Hernandez, while RF Josh Reddick is hitting just .148 in 27 at-bats.

PREDICTION: Mariners 5, Athletics 3