Seattle @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 14, 2018 ) Seattle 2, Oakland 3

The Oakland Athletics hope Jed Lowrie continues to swing a hot bat on Wednesday afternoon, when they attempt to complete a three-game sweep of the American League West rival Seattle Mariners. Lowrie extended his hitting streak to six games on Tuesday, going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer as Oakland edged Seattle 3-2 for its fourth consecutive triumph.

Lowrie's blast was his career-high 19th of the season and 100th in the major leagues, giving him 76 RBIs on the season - also a personal best. The 34-year-old second baseman has gone 10-for-25 with two blasts and eight RBIs during his hitting streak, helping the Athletics - who occupy the second wild-card spot - climb within one game of AL West-leading Houston. While five of Oakland's last six games have been decided by one run, with the club winning four of them, each of Seattle's last four contests have been one-run decisions - a stretch during which it has gone 2-2. The Mariners fell 3 1/2 games behind Oakland for the wild card and remained 4 1/2 in back of the Astros for the division lead despite welcoming back Robinson Cano, who went 1-for-4 while playing first base in his first contest after serving an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs..

TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, MLB Network, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), NBCS California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Mike Leake (8-7, 4.11 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Brett Anderson (2-3, 4.53)

Leake's winless streak reached eight starts on Friday, when he settled for a no-decision at Houston after allowing only two runs in six innings. The 30-year-old Californian has not been victorious since scattering three hits over eight scoreless frames at Boston on June 23. Leake is 1-1 with a 3.13 ERA in five career starts against Oakland, including a pair of no-decisions this season in which he gave up five runs over 12 2/3 innings.

Anderson did not factor in the decision on the road against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday after allowing two runs and four hits over five innings. The 30-year-old Texan will be making just his third start at home this year after being tagged for nine runs in three frames in a loss to Houston on May 7 and settling for a no-decision on Aug. 3 despite permitting two hits over seven scoreless innings versus Detroit. Anderson owns an 8-4 record and 1.96 ERA against the Mariners in 17 appearances (16 starts), including a no-decision at Seattle in his season debut on May 2.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mariners 2B Dee Gordon returned to the lineup Tuesday and went 1-for-3 after being kept out of the starting lineup for two games due to a bruised shoulder

2. Oakland 3B Matt Chapman extended his hitting streak to 12 games on Tuesday with an eighth-inning double but saw his string of four straight contests with an RBI come to an end.

3. Seattle LHP James Paxton allowed a run and two hits while facing only three batters on Tuesday before exiting with a bruised left forearm, which he suffered when hit by a comebacker off the bat of Lowrie.

PREDICTION: Mariners 8, Athletics 4