Category: Oakland Athletics

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: The streak will be one of the key highlights of this A’s season

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Photo credit: @Athletics

On the A’s podcast with Jerry F:

#1 A’s take their first loss in two weeks after winning 10 straight games in two weeks. An impressive performance during those two weeks.

#2 Talk about some the stars during the streak will start with Mark Canha and all those home runs — some gamers.

#3 Talk about Stephen Piscotty. He’s been struggling at the plate the last two months. Piscotty is hitting .274, but he’s got a consistent on base percentage. Piscotty, who got on base in the fourth inninng Tuesday night, has now got on base 24 times.

#4 Fernando Rodney was designated for assignment last week. No team would pick up his $5.25 million salary. He had an ERA of 9.42.

#5 The Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani was instrumental in the Angels’ win on Tuesday night getting a lined two RBI single to help the Angels get a two-run win over the A’s 6-4.

Jerry does the Oakland A’s podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

The Angels ninth-inning rally downs the A’s and snap the A’s 10-game win streak

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By Jerry Feitelberg

The Los Angeles Angels scored two runs in the top of the ninth to topple the A’s 6-4. With the win, the Angels snapped the A’s ten-game win streak. A’s starter Frankie Montas labored through his four innings of work Tuesday night. He threw 96 pitches and walked five, one intentional. The A’s bullpen did its job as they held the Angels scoreless until the fateful ninth inning. In the ninth, A’s reliever, Joakim Soria, retired the first two hitters. He gave up a single to LaStella and was very careful pitching to Angel’s superstar Mike Trout. Trout walked, and that set the stage for Angels’ DH Shohei Ohtani.  On the first pitch to Ohtani, Soria uncorked a wild pitch to advance the runners.  Soria had two strikes on Ohtani and appeared to have struck him out. Home plate umpire, Jame Hoye, called the pitch a ball. Soria told Hoye that he thought he missed the call. Soria still had to retire Ohtani. That did not happen as Ohtani singled to drive in LaStella and Trout. The A’s failed to score in their half of the inning, and they lost 6-4.

The A’s Marcus Semien put the A’s on the board on the very first pitch in the first inning from the Angels’ starter Cam Bedrosian. Semien put a charge into the ball and sent it over the centerfield wall. Bedrosian calmed down and retired the next three hitters. The A’s lead 1-0. It was the first leadoff home run of the year for the A’s and the third in Semien’s career.

The Angels sent ten men to the plate and plated four of them. Frankie Montas struggled as he gave up three walks, one intentional, and four hits. The big blow was a double by Angels’ second baseman Tommy LaStella. The Angels lead 4-1 midway through the second inning.

The A’s put another run on the fifth inning. Centerfielder Ramon Laureano led off the inning with his sixth jack of the season to cut the deficit to two. Laureano also extended his hitting streak to 11 games. The Angels’ pitcher, Nick Tropeano regained his composure and retired the next three batters. The A’s trail 4-2 after five.

The A’s rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth. Matt Chapman led off the inning with a single. Matt Olson followed with his sixth bomb of the ear to bring the A’s back from a 4-1 deficit. The game is tied 4-4 after six.

With two out and no one on in the ninth, the Angels somehow found a way to put two runs on the board. Tommy LaStella singled to get the two-out rally started. Mike Trout walked to put men on at first and second. Soria’s wild pitch advanced the runners to third, and they both scored on Shohei Ohtani’s single. Soria was ejected by the home plate umpire as he was upset with a call that would have given him a strikeout to end the inning. After viewing the replay, it did appear that the umpire did, in fact, miss the call. The Angels lead 6-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth. The A’s failed to score, and they saw their 10-game winning streak come to an end as the Angels prevail 6-4.

Game Notes and stats- Frankie Montas allowed a season-high four runs in four innings, his shortest start of the season. Lefty Wei-Chung Wang made his A’s debut with two scoreless innings and one hit.

The A’s fall to 29-26 while the Angels improve to 25-29. The line score for LA was six runs, seven hits, and no errors. The A’s line was four runs, seven hits, and no errors. The A’s hit three home runs in the game.

The rubber game will be played Wednesday afternoon at 12:37 pm. Daniel Mengden will pitch for Oakland, and the Angels have not yet determined who will start for them.

The time of game was three hours and thirty-two minutes and 13, 060 fans were on hand to watch on a cold evening at the Coliseum.

 

 

 

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: A’s get the long ball from Chapman and Canha

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photo from sfgate.com: Oakland Athletics’ Matt Chapman, right, is congratulated by Robbie Grossman (8) after hitting a two-run home run off Seattle Mariners pitcher Mike Leake in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 26, 2019, in Oakland, Calif.

On the A’s podcast with Charlie O:

#1 How annoying in the A’s win streak was that game that was canceled on the count of no rain in Detroit two Sundays ago that very well could have been win number 4 and the A’s could have 11 straight on Monday?

#2 During the Mariners series in Oakland, there was little doubt that the struggle they had with them in Seattle to start the road trip last week was on their minds.

#3 The A’s got off to a shaky start after opening up their season in Tokyo. To go from a regular season line up with a 15-hour time difference and then revert to the preseason. Was that all part of their rough start?

#4 Charlie O, you said this was going to be a good A’s team at sometime this season with all the talent they have here with Canha, Semien, Chapman, Olson, Profar, Laureano, and Phegley, that they were eventually were go to break out the bats.

#5 Mariners manager Scott Servais got tossed for arguing a challenge call in the bottom of the seventh inning that saw Canha slide into second that he felt was an out. Later, the A’s got two runs on M’s shortstop Roenis Elias’ error and Profar later hit a groundout RBI. A’s manager Bob Melvin said he would have argued the umpiring crew waited to long to make a decision on the play.

Charlie O does the A’s podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Welcome back Amaury after two months off from surgery; Amaury talks about A’s win streak

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twitter.com file photo: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez (left) with broadcast partner Manolo Hernandez Douen (right) prepare to call another Oakland Athletics game in Spanish at the Oakland Coliseum.

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury you were out for some two months after one of the longest layoffs in your broadcast career. What was that like being away from the mic?

#2 The A’s are currently on one of the longest streaks they’ve had in recent memory. It’s early, but folks have been talking about that 2002 season when they won 20 straight games

#3 In order to put together a win steak like that, you have to have a lot of things working for you and they’ve been getting timely hitting and long ball help from Mark Canha in place of injured Khris Davis.

#4 The Oakland A’s story has almost overshadowed the Golden State Warriors and their NBA Finals appearance starting in Toronto on Thursday night

#5 Amaury, you covered the Stanley Cup Final three years ago when the San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins teed it up, This year, San Jose missed the finals by this much and now it’s going to be the St. Louis Blues and the Boston Bruins. What was it like to be there at a very electric Stanley Cup Final when you got to cover it three years ago?

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for Oakland A’s baseball on KIQI 1010 San Francisco, the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Hall of Fame Museum, and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s win their 10th a row, down the Angels 8-5 on Memorial Day

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yahoosports.com photo: The Oakland A’s catcher Josh Phegley (26) rounds third base after hitting his sixth home run of the season gets the congratulations from third base coach Matt Williams (4) in the opening game against the Los Angeles Angels

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — The Oakland A’s continued their winning ways as they beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-5 before 20,409 fans at the Oakland Coliseum on Memorial Day. The A’s Chris Bassitt won his third game of the year. Bassitt pitched five innings and allowed six hits and five runs.

The A’s offense came to Bassitt’s rescue when they came back and propelled the team to a 6-3 lead after five innings of play. A’s manager Bob Melvin relieved Bassitt in the sixth when the Angels rallied to plate two runs. The A’s bullpen shut the Angels’ offense down the rest of the way while the A’s offense was able to put two more runs on the board to secure the win for Oakland.

The Angels scored the first run of the game in the top of the second inning. Future Hall of Fame inductee, Albert Pujols, led off with a single to right. Bassitt uncorked a wild pitch, and Pujols advanced to second. The Angels’ right-fielder, Kole Calhoun doubled to right to drive in Pujols with the run. The Angels led 1-0 midway through the second inning.

The A’s evened the score in the bottom of the third. With one out, centerfielder Ramon Laureano doubled down the left field line. After Josh Phegley struck out, Angels pitcher Trevor Cahill walked shortstop Marcus Semien to put men on at first and second with two out. A’s left fielder, Robbie Grossman, doubled to right field to drive in Laureano with the tying run. The score was knotted up 1-1 after three complete.

The game didn’t stay tied for long. Pujols led off the top of the fourth with his ninth long ball of the year. For Pujols, it was also his 642nd of his illustrious career, and he needs 19 more to pass Willie Mays, who has 660. The Angels plated another run in the inning to take a 3-1 advantage.

The next hitter, Kole Calhoun, followed with his second double of the game. Calhoun advanced to third on Angels third baseman David Fletcher’s single. The Halos’ left fielder, Brian Goodwin hit a sharp ground ball back to Chris Bassitt. Calhoun, running on the play, was caught in a rundown and tagged out at home by A’s first baseman Matt Olson. Fletcher went to third, and Goodwin ended up on second with a fielders’ choice.

Bassitt hit Dustin Garneau to load the bases. LA shortstop Luis Renigfo drove in Fletcher with a sacrifice fly to left. The Angels now led 3-1. In the A’s half of the fourth, Jurickson Profar homered with a man on board to knot the score at 3-3.

The A’s sent Cahil to the showers in the bottom of the fifth when they put three more runs on the board to take a 6-3 advantage. Josh Phegley continued his hot hitting as he led the frame with his seventh dinger of the year. The other two runs were driven in by Stephen Piscotty.

Grossman had his second double of the day and moved to third on Matt Chapman’s single. Chapman advanced to second on a wild pitch. Both scored on Piscotty’s single. Cahill’s line for the day was 4 1/3 innings of work. He allowed six runs on six hits.

The Angels finished Bassitt’s day in the sixth inning. The Halos started the rally with a walk to Kole Calhoun. Fletcher followed with a double into the left-field corner that allowed Calhoun to score from first base. A’s manager Bob Melvin had seen enough, and he replaced Bassitt with Yusmeiro Petit.

Brian Goodwin greeted Petit with a single to center to drive in Fletcher with the Angels’ fifth run. Melvin brought in lefty Ryan Buchter to pitch to the left-handed hitter, Tommy LaStella. Buchter did the job as he struck out LaStella to end the inning. The A’s still lead 6-5 midway through the sixth.

With two out in the bottom of the seventh, Matt Chapman blasted his 14th homer into the seats in left field to pad the A’s lead to 7-5. The Angels asked for a review, and it took just 25 seconds to confirm that Chapman’s blast was a home run.

The A’s plated another run to increase the lead to three in the bottom of the eighth. Stephen Piscotty led off with a double and scored on Mark Canha’s single. The A’s owned an 8-5 advantage heading into the ninth. The A’s closer, Blake Treinen, ended the game by striking out Mike Trout to end the game. The A’s win their tenth in a row.

Game Notes and Stats: Chris Bassitt went five innings and allowed a season-high five earned runs. He has pitched at least five innings in six of his seven starts this season. He also hit two batters for the first time since August 21st, 2015.

Robbie Grossman hit two doubles off Trevor Cahill and is hitting .583 against the big righty in his career. He is also hitting .333 ( 8-for-24) with runners in scoring position this season.

A’s catcher Josh Phegley has seven home runs and 32 RBI in 42 games this year. He hit five home runs and had 25 RBI in 96 games over the previous two seasons. Stephen Piscotty had a single and double and drove in two runs. Piscotty has reached safely in his last 23 games, which is the longest active streak in the majors and ties the longest of his career (May 31 to June 26, 2018).

Mat Chapman was 2-for-four with a home run. He has homered in three consecutive games for the second time in his career.  He is batting .344 (11-for-32) with four home runs and eight RBI over his last eight games. Ramon Laureano singled to extend his hitting streak to ten games.

Bassitt improved to 3-1 for the A’s, and Cahill dropped to 2-5. The A’s are now 29-25 for the year, and the Angels fall to24-29.

The line score for the game for Oakland was eight runs, ten hits, and no errors. The Angels’ line was five runs, nine hits, and no errors.

Up Next: The A’s will send Frankie Montas (6-2, 2.40 ERA) to the hill Tuesday night. The Angels have not announced their starting pitcher. Game time will be at 7:07 PM on Tuesday at the Oakland Coliseum.

Nine Is Fine: A’s sweep Mariners, extend streak with 7-1 win

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By Morris Phillips

OAKLAND — In a lot of ways, frustration trumped elation at the Coliseum on Sunday, as the Mariners’ winless road trip seemed like a bigger deal than the A’s nine-game win streak.

For one, the A’s established an early lead and cruised to a 7-1 win behind lesser names catcher Josh Phlegley and veteran starter Brett Anderson. Make no mistake, the A’s won, and looked good doing so, but the Mariners looked bad and felt worse after losing for the 30th time in their last 40 games, and seeing their season on the brink with still more than 100 games left to play.

“Some games we didn’t pitch that well, some games we didn’t play defense that well and some games we didn’t hit,” manager Scott Servais said of the Mariners’ 0-6 road trip, their worst since 2010. “When that happens and you can’t put a full game together, you are going to have a tough road trip. And that’s what we experienced.”

“We have to play good baseball and we haven’t done that,”

Servais and the Mariners’ frustration spilled over in the seventh inning when Mark Canha slid into second base outside of the constraints dictated by the rule designed to protect infielders on double play balls. Canha–running along the infield grass then finishing his slide with his leg up–appeared to go outside a direct path to the bag, which kept J.P. Crawford from unleashing a throw to first. Replay got involved, and Servais took out his frustrations on umpiring crew chief Mike Everitt, who then ejected Servais.

When play ensued, trail runner Jurickson Profar scored–along with Skye Bolt, on board with a walk — on Phlegley’s double that increased the A’s lead to 5-1.

“Clearly J.P. got taken out on the play. They saw it different in New York than I saw it. There was no explanation. It was just replay. If you argue replay, it’s not going to go well,” Servais said after the game.

Seattle starter Mike Leake approached second base umpire Bill Welke immediately after the double play was interrupted to take exception to the non-call. That was the beginning of the end of Leake’s afternoon as he steadied by striking out Ramon Laureano, but then saw Profar steal second on his watch, as he was issuing Bolt a four-pitch walk. Bolt, the rookie hitting .143, would go 0 for 3 in the game with a run scored. Bolt was Leake’s final batter, as acting manager Manny Acta lifted the starter, who left the mound in a huff.

“We need some guidance in the right direction. We’re all here fighting, being professionals. It could come from players or management, or both. I don’t know,” said a frustrated Leake, who has one win in his last nine starts.

One thing that has to get corrected when the Mariners return home on Monday is their inability to overcome deficits. The Mariners have lost 19 consecutive games in which their opponents have scored first, dating back to mid-April. On Sunday, Leake allowed a two-run shot to Matt Chapman in the first inning, and a solo shot to Phlegley in the second.

That and maybe take a cue from the A’s. By most accounts, the A’s most frustrating defeats in 2019 were to the Mariners, first in Japan to start the season, then in Seattle on their most recent, road trip. In both cases, the A’s have responded with winning baseball, and haven’t lost at all since losing 4-3 at Safeco Field on May 14.

Since that second, consecutive one-run loss to Seattle, the A’s are 9-0. The Mariners are 1-9. Thus the elation, and frustration.

The A’s open a three-game set with the Angels on Memorial Day at 1:05 pm at the Coliseum.

Oakland A’s podcast with Joey Friedman: A’s take 8-game win streak into series finale with M’s today

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Photo credit: @Athletics

On the A’s podcast with Joey:

#1 The Oakland A’s won their eighth straight game defeating the Seattle Mariners by a run 5-4 on Saturday at the Oakland Coliseum. With the win, the A’s move into second place trailing first place Houston by 7 1/2 games.

#2 The A’s have won five of their last six series and have swept series in Detroit and Cincinnati. They’ve been very focused on the road during this streak as well.

#3 They have been getting timely hitting from designated hitter Mark Canha whose been filling in for the injured Khris Davis.

#4 The A’s, with the win on Saturday, also move into a tie for second in the Wild Card race proving winning a whole bunch and having some success on the road can move you up in the standings.

#5 A’s and Mariners wrap it up today at the Coliseum. For Seattle, Mike Leake (3-5, 4.73 ERA) vs. Oakland’s Brett Anderson (5-3, 4.14 ERA).

Joey does the A’s podcasts each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s have won eight in a row after beating the Mariners 6-5 on Saturday

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
AM4
Matt Olson bunts for a single Photo: @NBCSBA

by Charlie O. Mallonee

Every analyst and reporter that covers the Oakland Athletics kept telling fans that their team was going to wake up and start playing up to their potential any day now. They (including this reporter) kept reminding you that the A’s started slowly last season but found their legs in June.

After a while, it began to feel like the front office, team, media, and the fans were all in the same sports bar after a game trying to convince each other that the turnaround was going to happen.

Now, the great turnaround of 2019 is underway. The A’s have won eight consecutive games. They are 8-2 in their last 10 games. Oakland has won five of their last six series. The A’s swept the series in Detroit and Cincinnati.

This is how the A’s turned their season upside down in 2018 by winning series after series at home and on the road. The 2019 A’s may be on the verge of unlocking the secret to repeating that accomplishment.

Oakland is two-hundredths of a percentage point out of second place in the AL West. Both Texas and the A’s trail the Astros by 7.5 games. The A’s are in a virtual tie for the second Wild Card spot in the American League (don’t laugh — it’s never too early to look at the Wild Card when Houston is in your division).

Fiers first home start since the no-hitter

Mike Fiers took the mound for the A’s on Saturday and did not throw a no-hitter, but he did keep his team in the game. The veteran worked six innings giving up three runs (all earned) off five hits. Fiers struck out three Mariners and walked two. He also earned the win which upped his record to 4-3.

Fiers faced 23 batters and gave up just two extra-base hits. Domingo Santana hit his 10th home run of the year off Fiers in the fourth inning and Mitch Haniger hit his 13th round-tripper off the starter in the fifth.  Jay Bruce hit his ninth double of the season off the starter. Fiers threw 89 pitches (66 strikes). He has pitched at least five innings in each of his last six starts, which dates back to April 26 in Toronto.

The A’s scored first

AM2
Chapman celebrates the 50th HR of his career Photo: @athletics

The A’s are 18-9 when they score first this season.

Matt Chapman put the A’s first run up on the board when he hit his 12th home run of the season in the bottom of the first inning off Seattle starter LHP Yusel Kikuchi with two out and the bases empty. Chapman is hitting just .229 versus left-handed pitching, but he has six home runs in 48 at-bats against southpaws.

Ramon Laureano went 2-for-3 on Saturday with a double and an RBI. Laureano extended his hitting streak to eight games (12-for-31) which is also a new career high. His double in the fifth inning tied an Oakland record. It was the fifth consecutive game in which Laureano had hit a double tying a record that has been done five times in A’s history. The last to do it before Saturday was Miguel Tejada back in 2003.

Treinen gets the save

Blake Treinen picked up his 62nd save as an Athletic (10th of 2019). The save did not come without some excitement. Treinen gave up two runs (earned) on three hits, including a home run, but he held on to get the save.

Seattle

The M’s have now lost five consecutive games and are 2-8 in their last 10 games. Seattle currently is in sole possession of last place in AL West 5.0 games back of the A’s and 12.5 games behind the division-leading Astros.

Starter Yusel Kikuchi lasted just 3.1 innings, his shortest start of the season since April 26. Kikuchi gave up five runs (4 earned) off 10 hits including one home run. He struck out one and walked one batter. Kikuchi was tagged with the loss and his record now stands at 3-2.

Kyle Seager made his first appearance of 2019 since coming off the injured list — it was his first ever trip to the IL. Seager hit his 250th career double in the ninth inning of the game on Saturday.

Domingo Santana had quite a game. He went 2-for-4 on the day with both his hits being home runs. He has touched them all 11 times this season. It was his first multi-home run game of the year.

Mitch Haniger loves to face the A’s. He is batting .296 (45-for-152) including 11 home runs versus Oakland in his career. Haniger went 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI on Saturday.

Seattle is now 0-18 when their opponent scores first this season. The Mariners have scored 147 of their 278 runs (52.9-percent) via the home run.

Up Next

The A’s and M’s will wrap up their three-game series on Sunday at 1:07 PM. Seattle will go with RHP Mike Leake (3-5, 4.73 ERA) while the Oakland will counter with LHP Brett Anderson (5-3, 4.14 ERA).

A’s Long Balls Key in 6-2 win over M’s; 7th straight for Oakland

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

sfgate.com photo: Oakland Athletics’ Matt Olson, right, celebrates with Stephen Piscotty (25) and Marcus Semien, center, after hitting a three-run home run off Seattle Mariners’ Wade LeBlanc during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 24, 2019, in Oakland, Calif.


By Matt Harrington


The Oakland A’s mashed three home runs to beat the Seattle Mariners 6-2 and take game one of the weekend series. Matt Olson, Mark Canha and Stephen Piscotty all went deep for Oakland in a seventh-straight win.

Daniel Mengden started for the A’s going four innings and allowing a run on a Domingo Santana RBI single in the top of the first. Oakland would hit two two-run shots in the bottom of the fourth off M’s starter Wade LeBlanc, but Mengden was ineligible for the win after not reaching five innings.

The A’s added a run on a steal and wild throw in the bottom of the seventh, answering back after the M’s scored in the top of the frame to make it 4-2 at the time. Piscotty then took Connor Sadzeck deep in the bottom of the eighth.

Lou Trivino picked up the win after getting the final out of the seventh and finishing off the eighth. Blake Treinen closed out the ninth in a non-save. 

Olson and Canha went back to back in the fourth innning to get the A’s an early jump, Canha filling in for injured DH Khris Davis has been on a tear lately replacing the major league home run leader in the line up, “If you’re looking for a replacement for Khris, that’s the guy, he feels good at the plate, he’s getting good swings, seeing some pitches, taking some walks. Really good.” said A’s manager Bob Melvin.

A’s outfielder Stephen Piscotty had a big night with the homer and two singles, putting him a 22 consecutive games to get on base leading the majors in reaching base. 

A’s starter Daniel Mengden started out the game walking four M’s hitters, but later A’s reliever Lou Trivino, who got the win and was the fourth of five pitchers was able to get four of five hitters out. 

Notes: Oakland A’s P.A. announcer Dick Callahan acknowledged A’s Spanish play by play announcer and our very own talk show host Amaury Pi-Gonzalez on the A’s scoreboard, who missed most of the first two months of the season after having surgery. Amaury looks great and says he’s been anxious to get back to work. 

Today’s 1:07 pm starters at the Oakland Coliseum for the Seattle Mariners Yusei Kikuchi (3-1, 3.43 ERA) vs. Oakland A’s starter Mike Fiers (3-3, 5.05 ERA).


Matt Harrington covers A’s baseball each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

A’s Thursday off day report: Preview of A’s-Mariners series starting Friday

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By Jerry Feitelberg

The A’s return home after a successful 6-2 road trip. The A’s were beating the Tigers in one game that was suspended due to bad weather. That game will be completed when the Tigers play the A’s in September. The two losses on the trip happened when the A’s played the Mariners in Seattle.

The Mariners and A’s have met four times this season, and the M’s have won them all. The A’s lost the first two in Japan to open the season and the last two in Seattle on May 13th and 14th. The games in Seattle were close. The Mariners won on May 13th 6-5 even though the A’s hit five home runs in that game. They beat the A’s again on May 14th, 4-3. Since that time the A’s won three in Detroit and three in Cleveland.

The A’s have also moved up in the standings in the AL Central. Oakland ‘s record is 25-25, and they are in third place just 1/2 game behind the surprising Texas Rangers. Seattle, on the other hand, played well to start the season but have fallen on hard times. They currently reside in last place in the AL West with a record of 23-29. They have lost 3 in a row and are 3-7 in their previous 10 games.

The Mariners have placed several key players on the 10-day IL. They include second baseman Dee Gordon, first baseman Ryon Healy, pitcher King Felix Hernandez, and third baseman Kyle Seager.

The Mariners still have a potent lineup. First baseman Daniel Vogelbach, DH Edwin Encarnacion, outfielders Jay Bruce, Domingo Santana, and Mitch Haniger all have power, and all of them have hurt the A’s with their bats. Infielder Tim Beckham has also punished the A’s with his power.

The pitching matchups for the series will be the following. On Friday, Oakland will send Daniel Mengden (1-1 3.65 ERA) out to pitch. Mengden is 0-2 with an ERA of 5.89 in four career starts against the Mariners. The Mariners will counter with lefty Wade LeBlanc. LeBlanc, in his last outing against the Minnesota Twins, went 2 and 1/3rd innings and gave up seven hits and seven runs. LeBlanc missed five weeks due to a strained oblique. In two starts against the A’s last year, LeBlanc held the A’s scoreless for eleven innings.

Saturdays’ game will feature Mike Fiers (3-3, 5.05 ERA) going for his fourth win of the year. Fiers has an ERA of 2.53 over his last five starts, and that includes the no-hitter that he had against the Cincinnati Reds. Fiers is 2-2 with an ERA of 6.36 in 10 starts against Seattle. Rookie Yusei Kikuchi (3-1, ERA 3.43) will go for the M’s. Kikuchi is 2-0 with an ERA of 2.03 in his last four starts.

On Sunday, The A’s will have lefty Brett Anderson on the mound. Anderson (5-3, ERA 4.14)is returning to action after he left the game last Monday in Cleveland with a cervical strain. Anderson is 8-5 and has an ERA of 2.38 in 20 games against the M’s. Mike Leake goes for Seattle. Leake is 3-5 for the year and has an ERA of 4.73. Leake is 2-2 against Oakland in nine career starts.

The A’s are playing better as the offense has come alive and the pitching has been better. The A’s have seen improvement from Chris Bassitt, Mike Fiers, and Frankie Montas. Anderson has pitched well, and Mengden is still a work in progress.

Following the three-game series with Seattle, the A’s will face the LA Angels and then host the first-place Houston Astros.