Athletics at Mariners
The Oakland Athletics used a late power surge to even the series and look to finish their road trip with a winning record when they visit the Seattle Mariners on Thursday for the finale of their three-game set. Oakland dropped the opener and was on its way to a fourth straight loss Wednesday until Jed Lowrie belted a two-run homer in the eighth inning and Mark Canha launched a solo shot in the ninth for a 3-2 victory.
Canha finished 3-for-4, giving him hits in 12 of his last 13 contests, as the Athletics improved to 4-4 on their nine-game trek. Dee Gordon continued swinging a hot bat on Wednesday, going 2-for-5 as Seattle squandered a 2-0 lead en route to having its three-game winning streak come to an end. Gordon has registered four consecutive multi-hit performances, going 13-for-19 in that span - including 7-for-10 in this series. The Mariners are seeking their second series win over Oakland this season after taking two of three at home from April 13-15.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Oakland), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Sean Manaea (4-2, 1.03 ERA) vs. Mariners LH Wade LeBlanc (0-0, 4.61)
Manaea, who was named the first American League Pitcher of the Month in 2018, hopes to continue his amazing season as he looks to win his fourth consecutive start and allow fewer than three runs for the seventh time in as many turns this year. The 26-year-old native of Indiana followed up his no-hitter against Boston on April 21 with a stellar effort at Houston on Friday in which he gave up an unearned run and four hits over seven innings. Manaea improved to 4-3 with a 3.88 ERA in eight career starts against the Mariners on April 15, when he yielded one run and two hits over seven frames in Seattle.
LeBlanc will start for the first time in 2018 after making five relief appearances as he fills in for the injured Erasmo Ramirez. The 33-year-old LeBlanc has not made a start in the major leagues since 2016, when he took eight turns for Seattle during his first stint with the team. The native of Louisiana, who went 5-2 for Pittsburgh out of the bullpen last year, is 2-0 with a 4.98 ERA in five career outings (three starts) against the Athletics.
WALK-OFFS
1. Lowrie has gone deep in each of the first two contests of the series, marking the third time this season he has homered in back-to-back games.
2. Seattle RHP Edwin Diaz was named The Hartford AL Reliever of the Month for March/April after posting a 0.63 ERA and holding opponents to a .043 batting average while converting all 11 of his save opportunities.
3. Oakland recalled LHP Brett Anderson from Triple-A Nashville prior to Wednesday's game and optioned RHP Emilio Pagan to the Sounds.