A’s strike first but lose to Mariners 8-2

Danny Valencia had a two-run shot and five Athletics total drove in at least two runs. “The game is hard, even for the great ones”.

Hernandez (15-8) overcame a leadoff homer from Oakland center fielder Billy Burns, allowing three hits and two runs in eight innings. Jesus Montero fielded the ball cleanly but Iwakuma, believing he would get the feed from Montero, raced across the bag.

Iwakuma got in the way of Montero, who hesitated, and Reddick beat him to the bag for an infield single. Mark Canha hustled around from second to score the tying run during the confusion.

Just like any baseball player, you will go through your rough patches and struggle, but ultimately how you get out of that funk and rebound is what is important when all is said and done. I’m not ready to anoint him; we need to take our time. And that’s unusual stuff for a team that has averaged just three runs per game since late June. The A’s were down 5-0 going into the fifth inning, and the offense then exploded just like they did in the prior game against the Rays.

Rookie LHP Mike Montgomery had his shortest outing of his young career as the A’s picked up right where they left off Monday night.

After giving up a career-high 10 earned runs over 2 1-3 innings in a 22-10 loss at Boston on August. 15, Hernandez yielded four runs over six in Friday’s 11-4 home defeat to the Chicago White Sox.

Edward Mujica (Three-Four) threw two hitless innings for the win. LF Mark Trumbo connected for a HR early, his seventeenth on the year. Oakland kept getting baserunners thereafter – stranding runners in every remaining inning and 12 in all – but a succession of Seattle relievers held steady.

A’s manager Bob Melvin said poor fastball command hurt Bassitt. “He didn’t really throw me anything else I could hit”, Burns said. “The X-rays show nothing”.

Evan Scribner entered in the 3rd and was hit hard. Jackson gave the Mariners a 6-5 lead two batters later, singling up the middle and scoring Cruz and Cano.

Franklin Gutierrez, who continues to shine also had three RBI’s and another HR for the Mariners, his eighth of the year.

Athletics: RHP Kendall Graveman was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique. That followed a. 120 start against left-handers for Reddick, a lefty swinger whose season and career numbers are far better against right-handers than left-handers. “First time in a competitive setting in more than three months, I was pretty happy with myself”, Paxton said. He also extended his on-base streak to 36 straight games.

Sports: His 12 losses are second- most. The Mariners won the game, 6-5, because Melvin waited too long to pull Chavez when it was clear he had no ability to challenge the heart of the Seattle lineup despite having the lead.