Mariners 8, Athletics 2
SEATTLE -- Seattle slugger Nelson Cruz had three hits, a home run and three RBIs and starter Felix Hernandez rebounded from a first-pitch homer to throw eight solid innings as the Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 8-2 on Wednesday afternoon.
Seattle (59-68) won a series for the first time in two weeks and Hernandez snapped a two-start losing streak.
Hernandez (15-8) overcame a leadoff homer from Oakland center fielder Billy Burns, allowing three hits and two runs in eight innings. A's third baseman Brett Lawrie added a solo shot on Hernandez's first pitch of the sixth inning, but by that time the Mariners were leading 5-2.
Cruz went 3-for-4 with three RBIs to extend his streak of games reaching base to 36. He had RBI singles in the first and sixth inning before hitting his 39th home run of the season in the eighth.
Cruz, who leads the American League in home runs and is challenging Detroit's Ian Kinsler for the league lead in hits, is one home run shy of the career-high mark of 40 he posted last season.
Seattle hasn't had a player hit 40 home runs in a season since Alex Rodriguez had 41 in 2000.
Third baseman Kyle Seager, who struggled through a 2-for-27 homestand, also had a solo homer in the eighth and snapped an 0-for-14 slump at the plate.
The Mariners used six first-inning hits to jump out to a 4-1 lead.
After Burns led off the game for Oakland with a home run on the first pitch from Hernandez, Seattle jumped on A's pitcher Chris Bassitt.
Six of the first seven Mariners batters reached base. Cruz, left fielder Seth Smith, designated hitter Mark Trumbo and first baseman Logan Morrison all drove in runs on the way to a 4-1 lead.
Hernandez and Bassitt each settled down. Hernandez allowed only one more hit in the six innings that followed the leadoff homer and Bassitt made it into the fifth before his high pitch count caught up with him.
Bassitt (1-6) allowed four runs, seven hits and five walks in 4 1/3 innings. He threw 90 pitches.
Seattle added a run against switch-pitcher Pat Venditte in the sixth. After rookie shortstop Ketel Marte led off with a double and moved to third on a groundout, Cruz hit a one-out, RBI single into center field to give Seattle a 5-1 lead.
One inning later, Lawrie hit his 12th home run of the year when he took Hernandez to left field to pull the A's (55-73) within 5-2.
Marte went 2-for-5 and scored twice, finishing a homestand that saw him hit .458 (11-for-24).
Hernandez bounced back from two losses, including a 10-run disaster in Boston 11 days earlier. He struck out seven while throwing 105 pitches.
NOTES: Oakland LHP Felix Doubront is scheduled to make his next start, Saturday at Arizona, despite taking a ball off his right foot on Monday night. ... With the day off Thursday, the A's will continue to work with a four-man rotation through the weekend. RHP Kendall Graveman was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday, and Oakland selected INF Max Muncy, rather than a starting pitcher, to fill his spot. ... Seattle LHP Roenis Elias is scheduled to move into the rotation to start Thursday at Chicago, meaning LHP Vidal Nuno won't face White Sox starter Carlos Rodon for the second time in less than a week. Nuno will move to the bullpen, with Elias scheduled to make his first Mariners start since July 2. ... The Mariners might make another move in their rotation after LHP Mike Montgomery's short outing Tuesday night. Seattle's list of upcoming pitching probables did not include Montgomery and Sunday's starter is TBA.