Mariners 6 - 4 Athletics
Final/10
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Mariners eye DH, series sweep of Athletics

May 7, 2014 - 2:38 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Seattle Mariners aim to keep rolling along when they shoot for a four-game sweep of the AL West-rival Oakland Athletics Wednesday in a doubleheader from O.co Coliseum.

Wednesday's twin bill is a makeup of an April 4 rainout.

The Mariners have taken the first two bouts with the Athletics and handed the hosts an 8-3 defeat Tuesday night behind a solid pitching performance by rookie Roenis Elias and the bullpen.

Elias is 3-2 after he allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings with six strikeouts and three walks. He gave up five hits, including a home run, and a 3-0 lead after the first inning gave Elias some breathing room.

Justin Smoak recorded two hits, two runs scored and three RBI, while Kyle Seager had an RBI and a run scored. Seager, James Jones, Robinson Cano and Dustin Ackley all had two hits to account for Seattle's 10.

"We're doing the little things," said Cano. "Everyone is contributing right now and that's what you're looking for. Whatever it takes to win the game."

Seattle has won a season-high four in a row and nine of its last 11 games, and is 6-1 on a nine-game road trip. Seattle will start a seven-game homestand later this week, but first must get through Wednesday's doubleheader.

Mariners ace Felix Hernandez looks to stop his four-start winless (0-1) streak in the first game and has posted back-to-back no-decisions. Hernandez has allowed seven runs in the previous three starts and gave up three -- two earned -- in five innings of Friday's 5-4 loss at Houston.

Hernandez is 3-1 in seven starts to go along with a 2.53 earned run average and has a 2-0 mark in four away assignments. The right-hander has made 31 career starts against rival Oakland, going 17-7 with a 2.60 ERA.

King Felix has won both of his starts in this series this season.

Oakland has dropped two straight and four of five games, and is only 6-9 in the last 15 contests following a 13-5 start.

In Tuesday's loss to the Mariners, Jesse Chavez suffered his first loss of the season (2-1) and was touched for four runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. Yoenis Cespedes homered and Nick Punto drove in two runs in the loss, Oakland's fifth in a row at home.

"Our approaches are fine," said A's manager Bob Melvin. "You're going to go through good times and bad times over the course of the season. We'll swing it well again."

The A's are 0-2 on a 10-game homestand and still have Washington and Chicago (White Sox) to host by the bay.

The Athletics hope to solve Hernandez with Dan Straily on the mound this afternoon, but he lost to the Mariners in his season debut on April 5 in a 3-1 loss. Straily allowed all three runs and six hits in six innings of work.

Straily is winless (0-2) in four career starts against Seattle with a 6.75 ERA and is 0-1 with a 6.52 ERA in his last four appearances overall. Straily was dealt a setback in Friday's 7-1 defeat at Boston and lasted 4 1/3 innings, giving up two runs and four hits.

The right-hander has allowed two runs or more in each of his past four starts and has a 1-2 record to go along with a 5.01 ERA this season (6 starts).

Drew Pomeranz could toss the nightcap for Oakland against Seattle's Erasmo Ramirez. Pomeranz is 1-1 with a 1.98 ERA in nine relief appearances, while Ramirez has a 1-3 mark with a 6.75 ERA in five starts. Ramirez is 0-4 in six games (5 starts) lifetime against the A's.

Pomeranz has made three relief appearances against the Mariners in his career, going 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA.

Oakland and Seattle have split eight meetings this season.






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