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Seattle Mariners

Mariners Pregame: M’s option Dan Altavilla, lineups and starter matchup

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma throws against the Texas Rangers in the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, April 16, 2017, in Seattle. (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)
By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

The Seattle Mariners face the Oakland Athletics in the second of a four-game series at Oakland Coliseum.

With the Mariners’ 9-6 loss to the A’s on Thursday, Seattle dropped to 1-7 on the road this season. Obviously, that kind of record is untenable for any team that considers themselves a contender, so the M’s need to figure out why they are struggling so badly away from Safeco Field.

17 of the club’s first 26 games – and 23 of the first 38 – will be played on the road.

Transaction: The Mariners recalled RHP Chase De Jong from AAA Tacoma and optioned RHP Dan Altavilla to Tacoma.

De Jong, 23, was 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA (2 ER, 10 1/3 IP) with 10 strikeouts in two starts for AAA Tacoma.

Over his last 4 games, Altavilla had allowed seven runs (six earned) on six hits – including a home run – and five walks in 3 1/3 innings pitched.

Rehab news: RHP Steve Cishek will make a rehab appearance, starting and pitching one inning, for the Tacoma Rainiers against the El Paso Chihuahuas in El Paso, Texas.

Lineups and starter matchup

Game 18: Seattle Mariners (7-10) at Oakland Athletics (8-8), 7:05 p.m., Oakland Coliseum.

Courtesy @MarinersPR
Courtesy @MarinersPR

Starters: RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (0-1, 5.40) vs. LHP Sean Manaea (0-1, 5.51)

Mariners Notes

  • In his last 4 appearances (4 1/3 innings), Nick Vincent has retired each of the 13 batters he has faced, including 8 via strikeout. During that span, he has also stranded both of his inherited runners.
  • In his last 8 games, Taylor Motter is 11 for 33 (.333) with six runs, five doubles, four home runs and eight RBI. Despite making just nine starts at shortstop, his four home runs as a shortstop rank tied for first in the Majors along with Francisco Lindor (4). His nine extra-base hits (5 2B, 4 HR) are tied for fourth in the A.L.
  • The Mariners rank first in the Majors with 23 double plays turned. The M’s have turned at least one double play in 14 games of their 17 games, including eight games with at least two double plays.

This Day in Mariners History

In 2001, John Olerud hit his seventh career grand slam in a game against the Angels.

In 2012, Philip Humber of the Chicago White Sox threw the 21st perfect game in Major League history beating the Mariners 4-0 at Safeco Field. Humber retired all 27 batters he faced on only 96 pitches and struck out nine batters.