Athletics at Mariners
Considering how they've been playing of late, the Oakland Athletics probably would like to postpone the upcoming All-Star break. Oakland seeks its ninth victory in 11 games when it visits the Seattle Mariners on Saturday for the middle contest of their three-game series.
The Athletics have put themselves right in the middle of the wild-card race in the American League with their current surge as they trail Cleveland by one-half game for the second spot. Oakland managed only five hits in the series opener but posted a 5-2 victory for its sixth win in seven contests as Franklin Barreto belted a solo homer and pinch-hitter Robbie Grossman delivered a two-run double. Seattle also was limited to five hits, with Tom Murphy notching two of them - including a solo homer - as the club suffered its third straight loss and seventh in eight contests. Domingo Santana recorded a single in the setback to improve to 8-for-22 during his six-game hitting streak.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Oakland), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Chris Bassitt (5-3, 3.80 ERA) vs. Mariners LH Marco Gonzales (9-7, 4.39)
Bassitt makes his third straight road start as he looks to win his third consecutive decision after allowing two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings of a triumph over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. The 30-year-old native of Ohio has worked six or more frames only four times in 13 turns this season and just once since tossing eight scoreless innings in a victory at Detroit on May 16. Bassitt has yet to defeat Seattle in his career as he fell to 0-3 with a 3.60 ERA in six games (five starts) when he yielded four runs on five hits and four walks in 5 2/3 frames at home on June 14.
Gonzales had his four-start winning streak halted on Sunday, when he gave up three runs on six hits and three walks in five innings at Houston. The 27-year-old from Colorado allowed fewer than three earned runs in each outing during his string of success after being battered for 10 in a loss to the Angels on June 2. Gonzales is 3-1 with a 3.34 ERA in six career games (five starts) versus the Athletics after winning both turns against them this season, including a triumph at Oakland on June 14 in which he permitted two runs - one earned - over seven frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Athletics RHP Liam Hendriks was named to the AL All-Star team on Friday as a replacement for Tampa Bay's Charlie Morton.
2. Seattle designated RHP Mike Wright, who surrendered 16 runs - 13 earned - and 25 hits over 16 innings in nine relief appearances after being acquired from Baltimore on April 24, for assignment for the second time this year.
3. Oakland recalled Paul Blackburn from Triple-A Las Vegas and optioned fellow RHP Tanner Anderson to the Aviators.