A’s rally against Seattle’s bullpen, roll to 12-6 victory

By: Tim Booth, The Associated Press Posted: 12:53 AM CDT Wednesday, Jun. 2, 2021 Last Modified: 1:26 AM CDT Wednesday, Jun. 2, 2021

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SEATTLE (AP) — Matt Olson hit his 14th homer of the season in the second inning and added a key two-run single as part of Oakland’s big seventh inning, to help the Athletics beat the Seattle Mariners 12-6 on Tuesday night.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/06/2021 (1626 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Olson’s opposite-field homer in the second inning off Seattle starter Marco Gonzales gave the A’s an early advantage. His hit in the seventh was part of a six-run inning as Oakland rallied from a 4-1 deficit.

Tony Kemp matched his career-high with five RBIs including a two-run homer in the eighth inning, and manager Bob Melvin picked up his 799th career win with the A’s, the most of any manager since the team moved to Oakland.

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Chris Bassitt throws to a Seattle Mariners batter during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, June 1, 2021, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

“It’s just another game. It just means I’ve been around for a while and I’m lucky to be around for a while,” Melvin said.

Most of Oakland’s rally in the seventh came with two outs. Oakland sent 10 batters to the plate and Seattle needed three relivers to finally escape the inning. Mark Canha’s two-out infield single off Paul Sewald (2-1) scored Elvis Andrus to tie the game at 4-4. After walks to Chad Pinder and Jed Lowrie loaded the bases, Olson greeted Daniel Zamora with a single to shallow right field.

Sean Murphy capped the rally with a two-run double down the left-field line. Kemp added his second homer of the season to go along with an RBI double earlier in the game, a sacrifice fly and a run-scoring single in the ninth.

“When I get the opportunity to drive in some runs I just try to put some good at-bats together and it all came together tonight,” Kemp said.

Seattle’s bullpen that has been a strength most of the season imploded giving up 11 hits, 11 runs and five walks, and had to turn to infielder Jack Mayfield to get the final out of the ninth on Canha’s slow grounder. The Mariners are without two key bullpen arms in Drew Steckenrider and Kendall Graveman, both on the COVID-19 injured list.

The loss snapped Seattle’s five-game win streak.

“We were thin in the bullpen tonight. We knew that going into it, but I thought we had enough to get through. We just couldn’t get that final out there in the seventh,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said.

Jesús Luzardo (2-3) was terrific in relief for Oakland, throwing three innings allowing just two hits and striking out six.

Seattle jumped out to a 4-1 lead on three consecutive run scoring doubles from Mitch Haniger, Kyle Seager and Ty France in the third inning. Taylor Trammell added a long solo homer in the fourth, all coming off Oakland starter Chris Bassitt.

Trammell’s fifth homer came after he was recalled from the minors earlier in the day when Kyle Lewis was placed on the 10-day injured list with a torn meniscus in his right knee.

Bassitt lasted just four innings in his shortest outing of the season. It was a disappointing follow up to his last start when he tossed a two-hit shutout against the Angels. Bassitt allowed six hits and struck out six.

Tom Murphy hit a two-run homer in the eighth for Seattle.

GONZALES RETURNS

Gonzales returned after more than a month on the injured list due to a forearm strain. The lefty was going to be limited to just three innings, but was efficient early and was able to complete four throwing 50 pitches. Gonzales struck out six and his only mistake was Olson’s home run.

Oakland Athletics' Matt Olson, right, is greeted by third base coach Mark Kotsay while running the bases after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of the team's baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, June 1, 2021, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Servais felt on a normal night without the layoff Gonzales could have gone seven or eight innings.

“I was anxious for sure. It’s tough watching and spending a few weeks on the (injured list) can certainly give you some perspective,” Gonzales said. “But it was nice to get back out there and compete.”

RECORD WIN

The victory moved Melvin into second in franchise history overall. Connie Mack won 3,582 games as manager of the Philadelphia A’s. Melvin had been tied with Tony La Russa for the most with the team in Oakland.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: Oakland placed OF Ramón Laureano on the 10-day injured list with a right hip/groin injury. The move was retroactive to May 28. Laureano went through a light workout before Monday’s game in Seattle and the A’s decided afterward that an IL stint was needed. Laureano was hitting .257 with 11 home runs, 22 RBIs in 48 games. Oakland recalled OF Skye Bolt from Triple-A Las Vegas.

UP NEXT

Athletics: LHP Sean Manaea (3-2, 3.86) has not had a decision in his past three starts despite allowing just five runs over 17 2/3 innings. Manaea has six no decisions, tied for third-most in the American League.

Mariners: RHP Chris Flexen (5-2, 4.34) has won three of his last four starts. Flexen threw seven shutout innings in his last start against Texas.

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