Athletics at Mariners
Leonys Martin has been red-hot at the plate over his last eight games and will attempt to extend his hitting streak to nine contests when
the Seattle Mariners host the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday for the rubber match of their three-game series. Martin was the
hero on Tuesday as he belted a walk-off two-run homer with two out in
the ninth inning to give the Mariners a dramatic 6-5
victory.
Martin is 14-for-28 with four homers during his hot streak, and his decisive two-strike blast on Tuesday was his career-best ninth of the season. Seattle's Robinson Cano went 2-for-4 with a homer and drove in three runs to raise his major league-leading RBI total to 42. The Athletics were one strike away from improving to 5-0 at Safeco Field this season and instead dejectedly walked off the field with their fifth loss in six games. Coco Crisp homered on Tuesday to extend his hitting streak to eight games and is 4-for-10 in the series.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), ROOT (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Zach Neal (0-0, 9.00 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Hisashi Iwakuma (2-4, 4.39)
Neal is being recalled to make his first major-league start in place of injured ace Sonny Gray, who went on the disabled list with a strained trapezius muscle near his shoulder. "It's really exciting," Neal told reporters. "It's what I've been waiting for a long time, and hopefully I'll take advantage of it and do the job that needs to be done." Neal was 5-1 with a 2.53 ERA in seven starts at Triple-A Nashville and gave up three runs in three innings against Boston in his first major-league appearance on May 11 before being sent back down.
Iwakuma won just one of his first eight starts before beating Cincinnati in his last turn, when he gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. His command has been off this season as he already has walked 17 batters after issuing just 21 free passes in each of the last two seasons. Iwakuma improved to 6-5 with a 3.82 ERA in 12 career appearances (11 starts) against Oakland on May 3, when he gave up one run and four hits in seven frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Athletics RHP Ryan Madson blew his second straight save opportunity by serving up Martin's blast - he also gave up a two-run homer to Texas OF Ian Desmond on May 17.
2. Seattle RF Seth Smith was 3-for-3 on Tuesday for his first multi-hit performance since May 5.
3. Oakland will activate 2B Jed Lowrie (shin) from the disabled list prior to Wednesday's game.