Oakland @ Seattle Preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 21, 2013 ) Seattle 5, Oakland 3

The Oakland Athletics are two games off the pace for the American League’s best record as they begin a three-game set against the host Seattle Mariners on Friday. The Athletics lost consecutive contests to the Los Angeles Angels and will likely enter the postseason with the AL’s second-best record behind the Boston Red Sox. Seattle (70-89) needs to sweep the series to avoid its fourth 90-loss campaign in six seasons.

Mariners ace Felix Hernandez and veteran Oakland pitcher Bartolo Colon square off - the latter is tied for the AL lead in ERA while the former is making just his second start in 3 1/2 weeks after an oblique injury. Seattle defeated Kansas City on back-to-back nights to eliminate the Royals from the wild-card race and rookie catcher Mike Zunino slammed two homers in Wednesday’s victory. Athletics third baseman Josh Donaldson has emerged as a star this season – he’s batting .305 with 24 homers and 92 RBIs – and had a 28-game streak of reaching base snapped on Tuesday.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Bartolo Colon (17-6, 2.64 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (12-9, 2.99)

Colon has won three consecutive starts as he finishes off his best season since going 21-8 for the Angels in 2005. The 40-year-old issued just four walks over his last six starts and only 28 overall this season. Colon is 18-12 with a 3.90 ERA in 35 career starts against Seattle, including wins in both 2013 outings.

Hernandez struck out 10 and walked four in a four-inning stint against the Angels on Sunday. The former AL Cy Young Award winner needs five outs for his sixth consecutive 200-inning season and has already reached 200 strikeouts for the fifth straight campaign. Hernandez has beaten the Athletics twice this season – tossing 14 2/3 shutout innings – and is 15-6 with a 2.60 ERA in 28 career starts against Oakland.

WALK-OFFS

1. Athletics OF Josh Reddick is batting .310 with two homers against the Mariners this season, but is just 4-for-25 in his career against Hernandez.

2. Seattle DH Kendrys Morales is 2-for-18 against Colon.

3. Oakland 1B Nate Freiman (abdominal strain) is expected to return during the series. He has been sidelined since Sept. 16.

PREDICTION: Athletics 3, Mariners 1