Oakland @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 11, 2014 ) Oakland 4, Seattle 6

The offseason addition of free-agent second baseman Robinson Cano was supposed to bolster Seattle’s sagging offense and lead to more victories. The Mariners are doing fine on the victory front with an American League West-leading 6-3 mark entering Saturday’s game against the visiting Oakland Athletics, but Cano has just three RBIs and has yet to homer. Seattle posted a 6-4 victory in Friday’s series opener to halt Oakland’s four-game winning streak.

Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon doesn’t want to hear inquiries about Cano’s power drought after he averaged 28.4 over his last five seasons with the New York Yankees. “Robinson Cano is one of the top, arguably, five hitters in all of baseball,” McClendon told reporters. “He has been for the last nine years and that’s not going to change just because he put on a Seattle Mariners’ uniform.” Oakland right fielder Josh Reddick, who is batting .103 with 13 strikeouts in 29 at-bats, is expected to be back in the starting lineup after being benched for the last two games.

TV: 9:10 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), ROOT (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Sonny Gray (1-0, 0.75 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Erasmo Ramirez (1-1, 5.73)

Gray defeated Seattle on Sunday when he allowed three runs – one earned – and six hits in six innings. He has allowed just one earned run over his first two starts while striking out 10 in 12 innings. Gray has limited Seattle hitters to a .172 average in three starts while going 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA.

Ramirez began his season with a strong outing against the Los Angeles Angels before struggling when matched up with Gray on Sunday. He lasted just four-plus innings and was touched up for five runs, seven hits and three walks. Ramirez is 0-3 with a 5.23 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) against the Athletics.

WALK-OFFS

1. Athletics OF Coco Crisp (wrist) fanned as a pinch hitter to end Friday’s game in his first at-bat since Sunday.

2. Mariners OF Dustin Ackley was 3-for-4 in the opener after going 3-for-24 over the previous six games.

3. Oakland 1B/OF Brandon Moss has struck out in five of his nine career at-bats against Ramirez but slugged a three-run homer Sunday for his second hit off the righty.

PREDICTION: Athletics 4, Mariners 1