LDN - Sports

Seager, Lind power Mariners past Athletics

[August 15, 2016] OAKLAND, Calif. -- After watching his team hold on for a high-stress, low-scoring win Saturday night against the Oakland A's, Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais said he wanted to see more offense from his hitters in the series finale Sunday.

The Mariners gave Servais what he wanted.

Kyle Seager had two doubles and drove in four runs, Adam Lind hit his 17th homer, and the Mariners pounded out 12 hits in an 8-4 win against the A's at the Oakland Coliseum.

"It's usually good to try to keep him happy," Seager said, smiling. "It's nice. We've been winning some tight games. It's nice to build a little bit of a lead there and really let our pitchers settle in and not throw quite as many stressful pitches."

The Mariners took two of three from Oakland to win the series, and they have won eight of their past nine games.

Seattle is 5 1/2 games behind the first-place Texas Rangers in the American League West and just two games out of the second AL wild-card position.

Mariners left-hander Wade LeBlanc (2-0) pitched six innings, allowing three runs on five hits. He struck out a season-high seven and walked one.

Lind belted a solo shot in the second inning. Seager had an RBI double in the third and a three-run double in the sixth. Norichika Aoki went 3-for-5 with an RBI and scored a run, while shortstop Shawn O'Malley went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs.

"Good game by a lot of guys today," Servais said. "Obviously, Lind got us going with the home run. A big day for Kyle Seager and Aoki. There was a Shawn O'Malley sighting today. A lot of guys chipped in and contributed. It was nice. We needed it. To go out and win the series, you need to score a few runs in the last game, and we got it done today."

Oakland's Khris Davis hit his career-high 30th home run of the season, a two-run shot in the sixth inning. He went 2-for-4 and homered for the third consecutive game against Seattle. Davis is the first Athletic to hit at least 30 home runs since Brandon Moss had 30 in 2013.

"It's just a number," Davis said. "I think most importantly I'm healthy and helping the team."

Ryon Healy hit a solo home run in the second inning, his fifth blast of the season. Brett Eibner led off the seventh with his fifth homer of the season.

Oakland right-hander Zach Neal (2-2) gave up five runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings in his third career major league start. He struck out one, walked one and threw 74 pitches en route to falling to 0-2 against the Mariners this season. In Neal's first major league start, he gave up seven runs over four innings in a 13-3 loss to Seattle on May 25 at Safeco Field.

[to top of second column]

"Just some balls up today," A's manager Bob Melvin said of Neal, who gave up one run over 5 1/3 innings against Baltimore on Tuesday. "His last outing the ball was down. At times he'd elevate just for effect, but I think certainly trying to come in on Lind and didn't get there. Ball was elevated some out over the plate. I think just some pitches were a little bit flat for him today."

LeBlanc made his seventh start and eighth appearance for the Mariners since being acquired in a trade on June 22 from the Toronto Blue Jays, who had him pitching for Triple-A Buffalo. The Mariners are 7-1 in his eight outings.

"I thought we had a pretty good game plan," LeBlanc said. "I missed on two pitches, and that seems like the going thing for me over the last few starts. That's something we'll get squared away."

The A's hit both mistakes for home runs.

"Wade threw well," Servais said. "He's disappointed on the curveball to Davis for the home run, but Davis is having a heck of a year. He's got big power. You don't miss 'em when you're in the zone. But Wade kept us right there, and we got a little cushion for him and he got through six, which was nice."

Seattle led 7-1 before Davis' sixth-inning homer.

NOTES: Mariners OF Seth Smith, who came out of Saturday's game after fouling a ball off his right foot in the seventh inning, was a late scratch Sunday due to a right foot contusion. Dae-Ho Lee replaced him at DH. ... Mariners LHP James Paxton (left elbow contusion) will start Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels, manager Scott Servais said. "He feels good. All systems go." ... A's RHP Jesse Hahn (strained right shoulder) will make a rehab start Tuesday night for Triple-A Nashville. Barring a setback, Hahn likely will make just one rehab start before being activated from the disabled list. ... A's RHP Sonny Gray (strained right forearm) has yet to resume throwing since going on the DL on Aug. 7. Manager Bob Melvin said there is a chance that Gray might not pitch again this season. "I don't necessarily think it's important," Melvin said. Gray won't resume throwing until after inflammation in his arm goes away and he goes through a strengthening program.

Back to top