Mariners 3, A's 2
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma gave up one run over 6 1/3 innings, and the Seattle Mariners won their season-high fifth consecutive game, defeating the Oakland A's 3-2 Sunday afternoon at the O.co Coliseum.
Seattle swept the three-game series and finished 7-3 on its 10-game road trip. The Mariners moved within six games of the Texas Rangers for the American League's second wild-card spot.
In his only other start against the A's this season, Iwakuma gave up a career-high-tying seven runs and seven hits over a season-low 4 2/3 innings in an 11-5 loss on Aug. 24 at Safeco Field.
This time, Iwakuma (7-3), working on two extra days of rest, allowed only five hits. He walked one and struck out three.
Mariners closer Tom Wilhelmsen got the final five outs for his 10th save of the season.
Second baseman Brad Miller went 2-for-4 and scored a run for the Mariners. Rookie center fielder Shawn O'Malley went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run.
A's designated hitter Billy Butler went 2-for-4 and hit his 10th home run of the season, a solo shot off Iwakuma in the seventh inning. First baseman Mark Canha and center fielder Billy Burns added two hits apiece.
Rookie left-hander Sean Nolin (0-1) made his A's debut and second major league start, allowing three runs on five hits over six innings. He walked three, struck out one and threw 85 pitches, 50 for strikes.
The Mariners snapped a scoreless tie with three runs in the fifth inning. First baseman Logan Morrison lined a leadoff single. Miller grounded a single, but Morrison was thrown out at third by right fielder Jake Smolinski.
Morrison slowed up at third and didn't slide, and third base coach Chris Woodward, who regularly coaches first, gave him the stop sign but no indication to hit the dirt. Woodward filled in for regular third base coach Rich Donnelly, who was out with a stomach ailment.
Nolin walked catcher Jesus Sucre and O'Malley, loading the bases. Shortstop Ketel Marte brought Miller home with a bloop single to right. Third baseman Kyle Seager drove in Sucre with a sacrifice fly, and O'Malley scored on a passed ball.
Oakland cut Seattle's lead to 3-1 in the seventh when Butler homered to right-center field with one out. After pinch hitter Coco Crisp lined a single to left, left-hander Vidal Nuno came on to face pinch hitter Josh Reddick, a left-handed hitter. Reddick singled to center, moving Crisp to third, but right-hander Tony Zych struck out pinch hitter Marcus Semien and retired Burns on a fly ball to shallow center.
A's catcher Stephen Vogt left the game in the top of the eighth inning after being hit by a foul ball in the groin. He walked off the field in pain with the help of two trainers. Carson Blair replaced Vogt and made his major league debut.
The A's sliced Seattle's lead to 3-2 with a run in the eighth. Canha grounded a leadoff single to left off Logan Kensing, and Blair walked. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, and Canha scored on third baseman Danny Valencia's groundout to Marte.
Wilhelmsen took over and retired second baseman Brett Lawrie on a pop up and Butler on a ground ball. In the ninth, Wilhelmsen gave up back-to-back, two-out singles to Semien and Burns before retiring Canha on a line drive to left.
NOTES: Mariners RF Nelson Cruz (strained right quad) missed a third consecutive game. Manager Lloyd McClendon hopes Cruz will be available for the Texas series that starts Monday. ... Seattle LF Franklin Gutierrez (strained groin) sat out for the second game in a row. Gutierrez, who was injured Friday night and left that game in the second inning, is day-to-day. ... Athletics RF Josh Reddick (illness) was out of the lineup, but he entered as a pinch hitter and stayed in the game. ... The Athletics' upcoming home series against Houston features a marquee pitching matchup Tuesday when Oakland RHP Sonny Gray faces Astros LHP Scott Kazmir. Kazmir will the A's for the first time since they traded him in July.