Athletics at Mariners
Nelson Cruz is counting on coming off the 10-day disabled list when the Seattle Mariners host the Oakland Athletics on Saturday in the middle contest of a three-game set. Cruz suffered a sprained right ankle when he slipped on the dugout steps after homering on March 31.
Cruz hit a homer in each of the two games he played this season before the injury and he made it clear to manager Scott Servais that he intends to be in Saturday's lineup. "He let me know where he was at," Servais told reporters of the Friday phone call he received from Cruz, "and very sternly said he was ready to go." Mitch Haniger hit a go-ahead three-run homer as part of a four-RBI effort and Daniel Vogelbach belted a two-run shot, his first career homer, in Friday's 7-4 victory. Oakland slugger Khris Davis went deep twice in the opener and has 16 career homers against Seattle.
TV: 9:10 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Oakland), ROOT Sports Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Kendall Graveman (0-2, 9.45 ERA) vs. Mariners LH Marco Gonzales (1-1, 7.27)
Graveman has been roughed up in each of his three outings and has given up 20 hits - including five homers - in just 13 1/3 innings. The 27-year-old lasted just 3 1/3 innings in his last turn when he gave up five run, five hits and four hits in a loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Graveman is 1-3 with a 4.81 ERA in 10 career appearances (eight starts) against the Mariners and has been pounded by Cruz (14-for-22, two homers) and Robinson Cano (7-for-22, one homer).
Gonzales was torched for four runs and eight hits in just 2 1/3 innings while losing to the Kansas City Royals in his last turn. The 26-year-old won his first start of the season when he gave up three runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings against the San Francisco Giants. Gonzales has made one career appearance against Oakland and he gave up two hits and struck out five while tossing four shutout innings on Sept. 2.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cano reached base four times (one single, three walks) on Friday and is batting .424 with an on-base percentage of .578.
2. Oakland C Bruce Maxwell reached a plea agreement with the state of Arizona, pleading guilty to disorderly contest for a November incident in which he allegedly pointed a gun at a food delivery worker - he will be sentenced to probation and community service on June 4.
3. Seattle 3B Kyle Seager went 3-for-4 with one RBI in the opener and is 6-for-12 with a homer and six RBIs over the past three games.