Sacramento A’s Max Muncy circles the bases after hitting a top of the third inning home run against the Seattle Mariners at T Mobile Field in Seattle on Fri Sep 4, 2026 (AP News photo)

Four Homers and One Wild Ride

By Mauricio Segura

Max Muncy, Alika Williams, Jeff McNeil and Zack Gelof all homered in a five-run third inning, and the Sacramento A’s held off the Seattle Mariners 7-6 for their third straight victory. The four-homer frame matched the franchise record for home runs in an inning and was the club’s first such inning since 2002.

Seattle struck first against Kade Morris, in only his second major league start. Cal Raleigh drew a walk in the second, moved to second on Josh Naylor’s groundout and scored on Cole Young’s double to right. J.P. Crawford followed with a single that brought Young home for a 2-0 lead.

Then the Athletics changed the game in a hurry. Muncy opened the third with a solo homer to left. After Donovan Walton struck out, Williams sent another ball over the left-field wall. Henry Bolte drew a walk, and McNeil followed with a two-run homer to right that pushed the A’s ahead 4-2. Gelof then made it four homers in the inning with a solo shot to left. Seattle starter Logan Gilbert still struck out 10 Athletics, but he was charged with seven runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Seattle answered before the third inning was over. Brock Rodden singled and Randy Arozarena was hit by a pitch. Julio Rodríguez brought Rodden home with a groundout, then Raleigh tied the game 5-5 with a two-run homer to right-center. Naylor doubled next, ending Morris’ outing after 2 2/3 innings and five runs. Brady Basso got Young on a groundout and followed with three scoreless innings, giving the Athletics a chance to regain control.

They did it in the fifth without another homer. Williams drew a walk, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Gelof drove him home with a triple to right, then Lawrence Butler singled up the middle to score Gelof for a 7-5 lead. Butler’s hit extended his hitting streak to 13 games after he began the game with the longest active streak in the majors at 12.

The Mariners kept pushing. Raleigh opened the eighth-inning threat with a ground-rule double, and Naylor singled him home to trim the margin to 7-6. Elvis Alvarado escaped the rest of the inning, and Hogan Harris handled the ninth. Harris struck out pinch-hitter Patrick Wisdom, worked around an Arozarena walk and finished the game when Rodríguez flied out to center. Harris recorded his 15th save and added another scoreless appearance against Seattle after beginning the game without allowing a run in 10 career outings against the Mariners.

Muncy finished 3-for-4, while Gelof had a homer, triple, two runs and two RBI. McNeil added two hits and two RBI, and Williams scored twice. The victory gave the Athletics their first three-game winning streak since June, after the club had gone nearly three months without winning more than two in a row.

The A’s list left-hander Jeffrey Springs (3-13, 6.37 ERA, 98 K) against Seattle right-hander George Kirby (9-10, 4.19 ERA, 128 K) in the next game, with first pitch set for 6:40 p.m. Pacific as Sacramento tries to make it four straight.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.