Hernandez, Cruz power Mariners in rout of A's
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Felix Hernandez pitched six shutout innings, Nelson Cruz went 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs, and the Seattle Mariners continued their playoff push with a 14-3 victory against the Oakland Athletics on Saturday at the Oakland Coliseum.
The Mariners, who entered the game trailing Detroit and Baltimore by 3 1/2 games for the American League's second wild-card spot, won for the fourth straight time.
Hernandez (11-5) improved to 23-8 for his career against Oakland and 12-3 at the Coliseum. Hernandez was coming off of back-to-back rough starts against the Texas Rangers, but he held the A's to six hits and didn't let a runner get past second. Hernandez, who permitted a combined eight walks in his previous two starts, yielded one free pass and struck out two.
A's right-hander Kendall Graveman (10-10) allowed career highs in earned runs (eight) and hits (12) over five innings. Graveman had gone 9-3 with a 3.18 ERA in his previous 18 starts, but he fell to 0-3 this season against Seattle.
Cruz, who scored twice, had all three of his hits against Graveman. For his career versus Graveman, Cruz is batting .667 (10-for-15) with one home run, two doubles and four RBIs.
Norichika Aoki also had a big day at the plate for the Mariners, going 3-for-5 with two doubles, driving in two and scoring three runs. Kyle Seager hit his 28th home run of the season, a solo shot leading off a six-run seventh inning. He had two of Seattle's 17 hits and drove in two.
Rookie Ryon Healy went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer in the eighth inning for the A's. The home run was his eighth of the season. Bruce Maxwell, another rookie, had two hits one day after his career-high three-hit game against the Mariners.
The Mariners took control early, scoring twice in the first inning and four times in the third to build a 6-0 lead.
Aoki led off the game with an opposite-field double down the left field line, moved to third on Seth Smith's infield single and scored when Robinson Cano grounded into a double play. Cruz doubled off the center field fence, and Seager lined an RBI single to right.
In the third, Aoki had a leadoff walk, Smith singled and Cano walked, loading the bases. Cruz doubled off the left field wall, driving in Aoki and Smith. With one out, Graveman intentionally walked Adam Lind, reloading the bases. But Jesus Sucre brought Cano home with an infield single. Then Cruz scored on Ben Gamel's fielder's choice ground ball.
Seattle extended its lead to 8-0 in the sixth. After Gamel and Ketel Marte opened the frame with back-to-back singles, Aoki brought them home with a double to left-center.
NOTES: Mariners CF Leonys Martin was out of the starting lineup Saturday, getting a day off. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts on Friday night against Oakland. "Leonys needs a day," Seattle manager Scott Servais said before the game. Ben Gamel started in center field for the first time this season. ... The Mariners activated RHP Tom Wilhelmsen (lower back spasms) from the 15-day disabled list before Saturday's game. The reliever had been on the DL since Aug. 27. ... A's LHP Sean Manaea (strained upper back) threw a 55-pitch bullpen session Saturday and, barring a setback, is expected to rejoin the rotation on Wednesday at Kansas City. The A's will have a six-man rotation once Manaea returns. ... A's rookie RHP Jharel Cotton will make his second career start on Tuesday against the Royals. ... A's RHP Sonny Gray (strained right forearm) will play long toss again Sunday and might throw a few pitches off the mound for the first time since going on the disabled list Aug. 7.