Mariners 9 - 5 Athletics
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Jul 3, 2015 - 6:14 AM After ending a lengthy slide against the visiting Seattle Mariners, the Oakland Athletics take aim at finally getting the best of J.A. Happ.

Trying to remain undefeated against the A's, Happ also looks to avoid losing five consecutive starts for the first time Friday night in the second of a four-game series.

Scott Kazmir yielded two hits and struck out seven over eight innings to help Oakland (37-45) snap a five-game losing streak against Seattle with Thursday's 4-0 victory.

"I felt like I was in control with every pitch," Kazmir said after helping the A's win for the third time in four overall.

Despite owning the second-worst record in the AL, Oakland leads that league with 10 shutouts, including its two victories in seven meetings with Seattle (36-43) this season.

Marcus Semien ended a 45-game homer drought by setting a career high with his seventh. He has three home runs and six RBIs while batting .400 (12 for 30) against Seattle in 2015, including 6 for 8 with a homer when opposing Happ (3-5, 3.89 ERA).

The left-hander is 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in four starts against the A's. He's allowed three runs over 11 1-3 innings while going 1-0 in two this season.

Seattle, however, has totaled nine runs while losing Happ's last six starts. He fell to 1-3 with a 5.74 ERA in eight road outings after allowing four runs in seven innings of Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

"I'm sick of saying I'm frustrated," Happ told MLB's official website. "I'm sick of being frustrated. I felt good (Saturday) and I feel like if I stay right there, things are going to turn."

Though Happ admits he'll continue to be hard on himself, he's doing his best to remain positive despite the rough stretch.

"I can't expect to be perfect, and I don't think anybody expects me to be perfect," he said. "I'm going to make mistakes, guys are going to hit the ball. At some point, it's going to be OK."

Seattle's pitching staff wasn't perfect while blanking San Diego in two straight games before its offense mustered only two hits from Franklin Gutierrez in the opener.

"(Kazmir) had all of his pitches going and was throwing 93-94 mph," manager Lloyd McClendon said.

That effort matched Gutierrez's hit total in 11 at-bats through his first five games since he was called up from Triple-A Tacoma to make his season debut June 24.

Nelson Cruz went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts Thursday but is 4 for 8 with two homers and a double against Jesse Chavez (4-7, 3.27).

The right-hander allowed four runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 4-3 road loss May 10 to fall to 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA in four starts against Seattle. Chavez posted a 6.75 ERA while splitting his last two starts after going 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in his previous two. He allowed three runs and six hits in 5 2-3 innings of Sunday's 5-3 home loss to Kansas City.

Kyle Seager is 2 for 11 with a double and a home run against Chavez, and 5 for 28 when facing Oakland this season.






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