Oakland @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( May 7, 2014 ) Seattle 0, Oakland 2

The Seattle Mariners send ace Felix Hernandez to the mound Friday when they begin a crucial three-game series with the visiting Oakland Athletics. Hernandez, the top candidate to start for the American League in Tuesday's All-Star Game, was scheduled to pitch Thursday, but was held back as Seattle trails first-place Oakland by nine games in the West while holding down the final wild card spot by 1 1/2 games. "It made sense to make that adjustment," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon told reporters. "It also gives him an extra day, so he can pitch on the sixth day. All the stars lined up, it just made sense."

The Athletics counter with Jeff Samardzija, who was impressive in his Oakland debut after he was acquired from the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. Seattle has lost three straight after falling to Minnesota 4-2 on Thursday and is 2-for-33 with runners in scoring position in its last seven contests. The Athletics defeated San Francisco 6-1 on Thursday for their seventh victory in eight games and, at a major league-best 58-34, matched the best start in team history.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Jeff Samardzija (3-7, 2.74 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (10-2, 2.11)

Samardzija yielded one run and four hits while striking out five in seven innings of a 4-2 victory over Toronto on Sunday. ''First impressions are always important,'' the 29-year-old Indiana native told reporters after giving Oakland an immediate return on an investment which it hopes will lead to its first World Series title in 25 years. "He was excited as you could be," Oakland manager Bob Melvin told reporters. "It was great to get him off to a good start like that. Terrific performance."

Hernandez received a no-decision after allowing two runs and three hits while striking out eight in eight frames of Seattle's 3-2 victory in 14 innings over the White Sox in Chicago on Saturday. The 28-year-old Venezuelan has recorded a team-record 10 straight starts of at least seven innings while allowing two or fewer runs - the longest single-season streak since Houston's Mike Scott (12) in 1986 and longest in the AL since Cleveland's Gaylord Perry (11) in 1974. Hernandez is 17-7 with a 2.64 ERA in 32 starts against Oakland - the most wins he has recorded against an opponent - and is 2-0 with a 2.49 ERA in three turns against the Athletics this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Oakland has a major league-best run differential of plus-147; the Los Angeles Angels are next at plus-80.

2. Seattle 2B Robinson Cano (.327, six home runs, 52 RBIs) is 18-for-45 in his last 11 games, but has only one RBI in his last eight contests.

3. The Athletics and Mariners have split 10 meetings this season.

PREDICTION: Mariners 3, Athletics 2