A's 7, Mariners 5 (13 innings)
SEATTLE – Shortstop Marcus Semien hit a two-run homer in the top of the 13th inning to give the Oakland A's the lead for good on the way to a 7-5 win over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night.
Semien's fourth home run at Safeco Field this season came after a leadoff single from catcher Stephen Vogt as the A's (68-96) won their third game in a row for the first time since Aug. 29-31.
Switch-pitcher Pat Venditte (2-2) posted the win after pitching three scoreless innings of relief. Oakland starter Felix Doubront came out of the bullpen in the bottom of the 13th to secure his first save in four years.
Seattle's JC Ramirez (1-2) took the loss after giving up Semien's homer.
The two teams combined to use 16 pitchers in a game that took four hours and 31 minutes to complete.
In terms of innings played, it was the longest game at Safeco Field this season and the longest one involving the Mariners. Seattle (75-86) has lost nine of its past 10 games.
Oakland jumped out to 4-0 lead in the top of the third inning before Seattle second baseman Robinson Cano hit a three-run homer to give the Mariners life. Seattle shortstop Ketel Marte drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the sixth, giving the Mariners their first lead at 5-4.
The A's tied the score 5-5 on a sacrifice fly from second baseman Brett Lawrie in the ninth.
Seattle closer Tom Wilhelmsen blew a save for the second time in as many opportunities after opening the ninth with a walk, a hit batter and a wild pitch to put runners on second and third with no outs. Lawrie's fly to left easily scored leadoff hitter Billy Burns from third to tie the score.
Oakland starter Sean Nolin allowed three runs and six hits in five innings in his sixth start since being promoted from Triple-A Nashville.
Nolin left with a 4-3 lead, but the Mariners took their first lead in the sixth. After the first three Seattle batters reached to load the bases with no outs, catcher Jesus Sucre hit into a double play that scored right fielder Mark Trumbo from third base for a 4-4 tie. One batter later, Marte put the Mariners ahead 5-4 with an RBI single up the middle.
Cano went 2-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to 15 games. Marte and outfielder Brad Miller each had two hits. Marte reached base four times, twice on errors and on a bunt single to lead off the ninth.
Oakland first baseman Mark Canha and second baseman Brett Lawrie each had two hits.
The A's had three errors, extending their American League-leading total to 125. Shortstop Marcus Semien committed his 35th error, the most among any AL player.
Venditte retired all nine batters he faced to claim the win. He didn't have to go against Seattle slugger Nelson Cruz, who apparently was experiencing some kind of health problem that led the Mariners to use backup catcher John Hicks as a pinch hitter in the 12th.
Three-run homers by Oakland third baseman Danny Valencia and Cano created some early fireworks.
Valencia went deep for the second time in as many at-bats with his first-inning shot. Valencia, who hit the winning homer in his final at-bat of Friday's game, gave Oakland a 3-0 lead Saturday with his 18th homer of the season. An RBI from Vogt in the top of the third allowed the Athletics to open a 4-0 lead.
Cano responded with a three-run blast in the bottom of the inning for his 21st home run of the season.
Seattle starter Roenis Elias never found a rhythm and was taken out after two third-inning walks loaded the bases. In two innings, Elias threw 51 pitches while allowing four runs, seven hits and three walks.
Oakland had three errors in the first five innings, giving it a major league-high 125 for the season. Semien had a fifth-inning error, giving him 35 this season -- by far the most in the American League.
NOTES: The San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday that LHP Drew Pomeranz might have to undergo arthroscopic surgery. Pomeranz has struggled with soreness in his AC joint on several occasions this season and was shut down for the final week. ... Mariners RHP Carson Smith went into Saturday's game one strikeout away from the team record for strikeouts in a season by a rookie reliever. Enrique Romo holds the record, having struck out 92 as a rookie in 1977. ... Seattle 2B Robinson Cano has a 15-game hitting streak - the longest active one in the majors. ... Mariners DH Nelson Cruz had 44 home runs entering Saturday's game, second in the American League behind Baltimore's Chris Davis (45).