Oakland @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( May 10, 2013 ) Oakland 3, Seattle 6

The Seattle Mariners can pass the defending American League West champion Oakland Athletics with a victory in Saturday’s second contest of a three-game set at Safeco Field. The Mariners (17-19) won Friday’s opener to hand second-place Oakland (18-19) its season-worst fifth straight loss and are playing the best baseball in the AL West. Seattle has won eight of its last 11 games. Oakland is 6-15 since winning 12 of its first 16 games.

The Athletics dipped below .500 for the first time since being 1-2. Oakland is 2-6 on a 10-game road trip that ends Sunday. “Everybody has to pick everybody up and we’re not doing that right now,” Athletics manager Bob Melvin said after Friday’s loss. Seattle third baseman Kyle Seager scored three runs in the opener and reached base four times on two hits and two walks. He was 2-for-16 over the previous four games. Shortstop Brendan Ryan’s average dipped to .132 after his fourth straight hitless outing.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Jarrod Parker (1-5, 7.34 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Brandon Maurer (2-4, 6.07)

Parker hasn’t come close to matching the success of his rookie campaign when he went 13-8 with a 3.47 ERA and limited opposing hitters to a .248 average. Opponents are batting .345 against him through seven starts and he has allowed eight homers in 34 1/3 innings after giving up 11 in 181 1/3 innings in 2012. Parker gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings while losing at Cleveland in his last outing. He lost to Seattle on April 2 to fall to 1-2 with a 5.94 ERA in three career starts against the Mariners.

Maurer lasted only four innings while losing to Baltimore in his last outing after stringing together three straight strong starts. He gave up four runs and six hits against the Orioles after allowing four runs over his previous 19 innings. Maurer lost his major-league debut to the Athletics on April 4 when he gave up six runs and eight hits in six innings. He has a 6.35 ERA in four home starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Seattle OF Raul Ibanez hit his first homer since April 14 in Friday’s victory.

2. Oakland OFs Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Reddick each hit two-run homers off Maurer in the April outing.

3. Mariners DH Kendrys Morales is 6-for-15 against Parker.

PREDICTION: Mariners 7, Athletics 5