Seattle @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2018 ) Seattle 5, Oakland 7

The Oakland Athletics hope to continue their climb toward first place in the American League West when they host the Seattle Mariners on Saturday for the third contest of their four-game series. Oakland bounced back from a series-opening beatdown to post a 7-5 win on Friday and get within 1 1/2 games of division-leading Houston.

The Athletics produced a five-run first inning that was highlighted by Stephen Piscotty's two-run homer but squandered the sizeable lead before Ramon Laureano lifted a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the fifth. Matt Olson went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Matt Chapman homered as Oakland improved to a major league-best 47-19 since June 16 and 1-1 on its 10-game homestand. Nelson Cruz, Robinson Cano and Ryon Healy went deep during a four-run fourth inning for Seattle, which has lost six of its last nine contests. The Mariners fell 5 1/2 games behind Oakland for the second AL wild-card spot but meet the Athletics five more times.

TV: 9:05 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), NBCS California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH James Paxton (10-5, 3.68 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Daniel Mengden (6-6, 4.28)

Paxton will be making his first start since suffering a forearm injury at Oakland on Aug. 14. The 29-year-old Canadian retired only one batter in that outing but registered 16 strikeouts over seven scoreless innings in a no-decision against the Athletics on May 2. Paxton has yet to lose to Oakland in his career, going 3-0 with a 3.50 ERA eight starts.

Mengden has not started for Oakland since June 23, when he was tagged for five runs over two innings in a no-decision against the White Sox in Chicago. The 25-year-old Texan surrendered 21 runs over 16 1/3 frames in four turns in June after ending May with four consecutive victories. Mengden lost both of his career starts against Seattle, yielding six runs on 10 hits and five walks in 11 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Athletics acquired Cory Gearrin from Texas on Friday for fellow RHPs Teodoro Ortega and Abdiel Mendoza.

2. Cruz needs 18 RBIs to reach the century mark for the third consecutive season.

3. Oakland recalled OF Dustin Fowler from Triple-A Nashville and optioned RHP Frankie Montas to the Sounds.

PREDICTION: Mariners 6, Athletics 2