Mariners outslug Oakland, win 11-8

OAKLAND, Calif. – Here was the other side of September baseball. The side in the shadows, away from the glare of the postseason chase. Two bottom-feeders playing out the string with expanded rosters.

It was entertaining. Long and, at times, not particularly well played. But entertaining. The Mariners held on for an 11-8 victory over the Oakland Athletics when Tom Wilhelmsen pitched a scoreless ninth.

This was a game of wild swings.

Oakland jumped to a 5-1 lead, but the Mariners answered with their biggest inning of the season – six runs and seven hits in the third, which chased Athletics starter Aaron Brooks.

Stefen Romero’s two-run homer in the fourth extended the Mariners’ advantage to 9-5 before the Athletics struck for three runs in the sixth against rookies Tony Zych and Mayckol Guaipe.

Carson Smith stranded runners at the corners by getting the final out in the seventh inning and got two quick outs in the eighth before singles by Mark Canha and Brett Lawrie put runners at first and second for Danny Valencia.

Smith escaped again. Valencia struck out.

Kyle Seager provided the Mariners with some breathing space with a two-run homer in the ninth against Drew Pomeranz before Wilhelmsen made it 7 for 7 in save opportunities since reclaiming the closer’s job.

The Mariners have have won three in a row and seven of their last 10.

The game started with an Oakland gift when shortstop Marcus Semien committed his 33rd error by bouncing a throw past first baseman Mark Canha after fielding Ketel Marte’s grounder.

After a walk to Seager moved Marte to second, Franklin Gutierrez looked at three pitches for a strikeout. Robinson Cano ended the inning by grounding into a double play.

Oakland had the same two-on, no-out opportunity later in the inning after Billy Burns led off with a single, and Seager bobbled Canha’s grounder to third for an error.

The Athletics didn’t waste it against Mariners starter Edgar Olmos.

Brett Lawrie’s single through the left side loaded the bases before Valencia sent a 1-1 fastball over the right-field wall for a grand slam and a 4-0 lead.

Gutierrez didn’t return to the left field in the Oakland second due to what the M’s characterized as tightness in his right groin. The Athletics then got the run back on Lowrie’s one-out RBI double, which finished Olmos.

Jose Ramirez (1-0), in his Mariners debut, got the final two outs in the second inning, which left starter Edgar Olmos with a line that included five runs and six hits in 1 1/3 innings.

Pistorese suspended

Short-A Everett left-hander Joe Pistorese received a 50-game suspension from the commissioner’s office after testing positive for amphetamines in violation of the minor league drug program.

Pistorese, 22, was the Mariners’ 15th-round pick in the June draft from Washington State.

He was 6-0 with a 1.28 ERA in 16 relief appearances for the AquaSox.

Around the majors

Los Angeles Angels second baseman Johnny Giavotella has been diagnosed with fourth cranial nerve palsy, a condition that is expected to keep him sidelined indefinitely. The five-year veteran, who turned 28 in July, said one of the symptoms was double vision whenever he looked to his left. … Justin Morneau was back in the Colorado Rockies’ starting lineup on Friday after being reinstated from the 60-day disabled list due to concussion symptoms that sidelined him nearly four months. His appearance was his first game since May 13, when he sustained a head injury diving for a ground ball.