Iannetta and Aoki singles set up a Smith RBI single and a Cano two run blast that put the Mariners up 4-1. Billy Butler continued to swing a hot bat for the Athletics by going 3-for-4 with two doubles Saturday and is hitting.474 with seven multi-hit efforts over his last 11 contests.TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), CSN California (Oakland) PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Wade LeBlanc (1-0, 4.71 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Zach Neal (2-1, 4.60) LeBlanc did not factor into the decision for the fifth time in his six starts Tuesday after allowing four runs on a season-high 10 hits and three walks across five innings against Detroit. Neal has struck out eight, walked one and allowed 19 hits in 22 1/3 innings during that stretch. Lind went 2-for-2 with two home runs in his first two career at-bats against Neal in Seattle’s 13-3 win on May 25 at Safeco Field.
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PLAY OF THE GAME: All four Mariners’ infielders surrounded a high two-out pop by Jake Smolinski near the back of the pitchers’ mound in the third inning.
Semien, who had twice had four-hit games with the White Sox but never with the A’s, delivered his first single in the first, an inning capped by Khris Davis’ 28th homer. It was the ninth homer Cano has hit on the first pitch this season, tied for most in baseball with Chris Davis of the Orioles.
Iwakuma worked around some early trouble and appeared in command when he entered the sixth inning with a 4-1 lead. But Oakland’s offense, resurgent as it has been the past few days, left men at third base in the first, second, fourth and seventh innings, hardly the recipe for success. The M’s are in Oakland for the second game of their series, and Hisashi Iwakuma will be taking on Kendall Graveman. The A’s homered against Seattle for a 22nd straight game, their longest streak against one opponent in team history.
The Mariners regained the lead with two runs in the third. O’Malley hit a leadoff double into the right field corner and scored on Seager’s double with one out. Robinson Cano brought Seager home with a sharp single to center.
Seattle increased its lead to 4-1 with a run in the fourth, thanks to an overturned call after a Mariners’ challenge.
Shawn O’Malley singled in Lee following the reversal.
The Mariners extended their lead to 7-1 in the sixth when Seager hit a bases-clearing double off reliever Daniel Coulombe. O’Malley, who started at shortstop for the 22nd time this season, also scored two runs.
Butler’s one-out double, his third hit, past a diving Leonys Martin in center field brought the tying run to the plate and prompted the Mariners to replace Iwakuma with Nick Vincent. He threw a bullpen session Saturday and played catch Sunday. “I talked about it with them”, Melvin said of limiting starters’ pitches. Barring a setback, Hahn likely will make just one rehab start before being activated from the 15-day disabled list.
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“It’s not often that we’ve seen his command look a little off”, A’s manager Bob Melvin said. It’s not impressive. Playing in the playoffs, playing on a winning team is more impressive. “I mean, it’s nice to know that you’re healthy again and you don’t have to worry about it in the offseason, but it’s not like we’re going to push him to try to get him out there just to get him out there”. Gray won’t resume throwing until after inflammation in his arm goes away and he goes through a strengthening program.
