By Morris Phillips

As hot as the A’s have been this season, currently, the Mike Trout-led Angels are even hotter.

So after the A’s dropped a second straight to the Mariners in Seattle Saturday night, the AL West leaders can’t afford to look down where they’ll find the Angels—winners of 18 of 22—just 1 ½ games off their pace.

And causing the A’s jet to cool are the surprising Mariners, who have captured 7 of 12 in their season series with Oakland and stand as the division’s third 50-win team and in position to capture the AL’s second wild-card.

Hisashi Iwakuma shut the A’s down, pitching eight shutout innings before allowing a two-run shot to Brandon Moss with two strikes and two outs in the ninth inning. The home run got the A’s on the board, but reliever Yoervis Medina came on to retire Josh Donaldson to end the game.

Iwakuma’s been red hot in July to-date, winning three decisions and throwing 20 consecutive scoreless innings in the process. The Japanese import came out smoking Saturday, striking out five A’s in the first two innings on his way to fanning eight.

A’s starter Jesse Chavez couldn’t survive the sixth inning in which the A’s fell behind 3-0 courtesy of Kyle Seager’s two-run shot. Chavez allowed 10 hits—the most he’s ever allowed—including an RBI single in the first inning to Seattle’s Dustin Ackley.

The A’s announced that Alberto Callaspo was placed on the 15-day disabled list before the game with a hamstring issue with Andy Parrino taking his place on the big-league roster. Coco Crisp missed a second straight game and isn’t expected to play again until after the break.

Sonny Gray gets the call in the A’s final game before the All-Star break with the A’s trying to avoid a sweep by the Mariners. Seattle’s Chris Young will oppose Gray.