Seattle 3 at Athletics 2 - Recap

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Mike Zunino hit a two-run homer in the second inning and sparked a ninth-inning rally with a leadoff double, leading the Seattle Mariners to their fifth straight victory, a 3-2 win against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday at the Oakland Coliseum.

The Mariners remained 3 1/2 games back in the race for the American League's second wild-card spot. They swept the A's in Oakland for a second time this season, a franchise first.

The Mariners snapped a 2-2 tie with a run in the top of the ninth inning off A's closer Ryan Madson (5-5). Zunino lined a leadoff double down the left-field line and then gave way to pinch running Ben Gamel. Gamel moved to third on Leonys Martin's single to right and scored when Ketel Marte singled sharply to center.

Mariners closer Edwin Diaz pitched a one-two-three ninth for his 15th save.

Mariners left-hander James Paxton held the A's to two runs on five hits over six innings in a no-decision. He struck out three and walked two.

A's rookie right-hander Raul Alcantara allowed two runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings and got a no-decision in his second career major-league start. He struck out four, walked one and threw 104 pitches.

In his major-league debut last Monday, Alcantara gave up five runs on five hits over three innings and hit three batters -- all in the first inning -- in a 10-7 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

The Mariners took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second when Adam Lind walked with two outs and Zunino crushed Alcantara's 1-2 pitch into the left-field seats for his 11th home run of the season.

Oakland answered with two runs in the bottom of the second. Khris Davis, Ryon Healy and Stephen Vogt opened the inning with consecutive singles to load the bases. Paxton walked Brett Eibner, forcing in a run, and Yonder Alsono hit a sacrifice fly.

The Mariners had runners on second and third with two outs in the sixth, but reliever Ryan Dull came on to retire Zunino on a pop up to end the inning.

After Paxton exited, Evan Scribner gave up a triple to Eibner with one out but pitched a scoreless seventh inning. Steve Cishek (3-6) pitched a scoreless eighth, stranding a runner at second, and Diaz closed out the game.

NOTES: The Athletics released veteran DH/1B Billy Butler before Sunday's game. Oakland signed Butler to a three-year, $30 million free-agent contract on Nov. 19, 2014, but he hit just .258 with 19 home runs and 96 RBIs in 236 games. Butler appeared in only 85 games this season and had started only one time in the previous five games. "It's uncomfortable for a guy like him to sit on the bench," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "His at-bats were drying up. It was just time to move on. He wasn't going to be in the plans for next year." Butler was involved in a clubhouse fight last month with teammate Danny Valencia, resulting in a concussion for Butler and fines for both players. ... Athletics RHP Sonny Gray (strained right forearm) threw off a mound Sunday for the first time since going on the disabled list Aug. 7. Melvin said there's a chance Gray could pitch again, but not start, before the season ends. "His health's the most important thing for us and making sure he is healthy , but I think he'd like to get into a game for maybe an inning and maybe we'd like to see it too," Melvin said. ... Mariners LF Norichika Aoki made his third straight start and fourth appearance since being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on Sept. 6. He entered Sunday's game batting .400 with one home run, two doubles and three RBIs since his return. ... Mariners LHP Ariel Miranda (3-1) will make his seventh start of the season Monday in the opener of a three-game series against the Angels in Anaheim.