Oakland @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 12, 2014 ) Oakland 3, Seattle 1

Scott Kazmir has made a good impression on his fourth major-league franchise and looks for his third straight strong outing when the Oakland Athletics close a three-game series with the host Seattle Mariners on Sunday. The 30-year-old left-hander has allowed just nine hits and has 10 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings while winning his first two starts since joining the Athletics. Kazmir will attempt to pitch Oakland to its sixth victory in seven games.

Seattle had just seven hits and went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position in Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Athletics. Oakland third baseman Josh Donaldson hit a two-run homer and is 9-for-27 with two homers and seven RBIs during a six-game hitting streak that has followed a slow start. Mariners outfielder Dustin Ackley is 5-of-8 in the series and is batting .381 in five games against the Athletics this season.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), ROOT (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Scott Kazmir (2-0, 2.03 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Chris Young (0-0, 0.00)

Kazmir revived his career by making 29 starts and winning 10 games for Cleveland and Oakland signed him to a two-year, $22 million deal in the offseason. He blanked the Indians on three hits over 7 1/3 innings in his Athletics debut and allowed three runs and six hits in six innings while beating Minnesota in his second outing. Kazmir is 4-3 with a 3.41 ERA in 11 career starts against Seattle.

Young, who pitched two innings of scoreless relief against the Athletics on April 6, was signed by Seattle in late March after being released by the Washington Nationals. He didn’t pitch in the majors last season and the former All-Star hurler with the San Diego Padres in 2007 has recorded just 11 big-league victories in the last five years. Young missed a large chunk of last season with shoulder issues and went 1-2 with a 7.88 ERA in seven starts at Triple-A Syracuse.

WALK-OFFS

1. Seattle 3B Kyle Seager is 2-for-18 against the Athletics this season after batting just .176 against Oakland pitching last season.

2. Oakland OF Josh Reddick (.091) returned from a two-game benching to go hitless in four at-bats Saturday.

3. Mariners 2B Robinson Cano has three homers in 34 at-bats against Kazmir but is also batting just .206 with 12 strikeouts.

PREDICTION: Athletics 5, Mariners 2