Seattle @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( Aug 14, 2016 ) Seattle 8, Oakland 4
The Seattle Mariners scored 35 runs while winning three of four games from the Texas Rangers and attempt to remain productive when they open a three-game series against the host Oakland Athletics on Friday. Seattle has little margin for error with 22 games remaining as it stands 4 1/2 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for the American League's second wild-card spot.
The Mariners are beginning a six-game road trip against the Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels and need to improve on their 32-37 road record. "We need to win. Everybody knows that," catcher Chris Iannetta said after Thursday's 6-3 victory over the Rangers. "We don't have too many games left. We need to win series. We expect to make the playoffs and we expect to play well down the stretch." Oakland has won three of its past four games since opening a nine-game homestand by allowing 27 runs in back-to-back defeats against the Boston Red Sox. Athletics slugger Khris Davis has connected for seven of his career-best 35 homers against the Mariners.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), CSN California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Hisashi Iwakuma (14-11, 4.01 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Daniel Mengden (1-6, 6.66)
Iwakuma has dropped each of his past four starts and has a 5.09 ERA and five homers allowed during the stretch. He lost to the Los Angeles Angels in his last turn when he gave up three runs and eight hits in seven innings. Iwakuma is 3-0 with a 3.26 ERA in three starts against the Athletics this season β his most-recent victory was against Oakland when he allowed three runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings on Aug. 13 β and 8-5 with a 3.90 ERA in 14 career appearances (13 starts).
Mengden was pounded for seven runs and eight hits in 2 2/3 innings while losing to the Boston Red Sox on Saturday. The 23-year-old has only lasted five innings in one of his last five starts and has a high 1.71 WHIP. Mengden has been unable to win at home, going 0-5 with a 7.53 ERA in six starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mariners 3B Kyle Seager is 13-for-32 with three homers and seven RBIs during a nine-game hitting streak and his blast on Thursday was his career-best 27th.
2. Oakland C Stephen Vogt, who is batting .326 against Seattle this season, is hitless in 14 at-bats over his past four games.
3. Seattle 1B Dae-Ho Lee homered on Thursday and is 13-for-29 with eight RBIs over the last eight contests.
PREDICTION: Mariners 6, Athletics 4