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Seattle Mariners

Mariners Log: Athletics send M’s to fourth straight loss

Seattle Mariners’ Mitch Haniger, right, is tagged out at third base by Oakland Athletics third baseman Matt Chapman during the third inning on July 6, 2017, in Seattle. Haniger was trying to advance after a fly ball hit by Jarrod Dyson was caught by Oakland Athletics center fielder Jaycob Brugman. (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)
By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

A’S HIT TWO HOMERS IN FIFTH OFF GAVIGLIO

What happened: Khris Davis clubbed a three-run home run in a four-run fifth inning off Seattle Mariners starter Sam Gaviglio and the Oakland Athletics cruised to a 7-4 win in the first of a four-game series on Thursday at Safeco Field.

The A’s jumped on Gaviglio for three runs in the first and unlike Wednesday, when the Mariners came back against the Royals, the M’s instead rolled over.

Gaviglio (L, 3-4) has lost three straight. The rookie righty gave up seven runs on nine hits and three walks with six strikeouts.

On the other side, Paul Blackburn notched his first Major League victory. He cruised through 7 2/3 innings and allowed one run on eight hits and one walk, without a strikeout. Blackburn was part of the deal that brought Dan Vogelbach to the M’s last year, then was dealt to the A’s for Danny Valencia in the offseason.

Mitch Haniger homered in the fifth, and Valencia hit a three-run homer in the ninth after things have been decided.

Line Outs

  • The A’s came out swinging against Gaviglio. Matt Joyce led off the game with a single and Marcus Semien walked. Yonder Alonso doubled to right to plate Joyce. After Khris Davis struck out, Jed Lowrie ripped a line drive double to right and both runners scored.
  • The M’s grounded into double plays in the first and second innings. In the third, they flied out into a twin killing. Mitch Haniger doubled and tried to advance on Jarrod Dyson’s fly out to center. He was out easily on the play.
  • In the fourth, Jean Segura led off with a single, but was thrown out trying to steal.
  • The nail in the coffin came in the fifth. Semien led the frame off with a single and he promptly stole second. Yonder Alonso drew a walk on four pitches, then Khris Davis homered to right for a 6-0 lead. Then with two down, Bruce Maxwell hit an opposite field homer and manager Scott Servais mercifully lifted Gaviglio.
  • Haniger got the M’s on the board in the bottom half, putting one out to right that barely eluded Joyce’s leap and cleared the wall. It was his seventh of the season.
  • Danny Valencia put lipstick on the pig with a cosmetic three-run homer in the ninth inning off generic reliever Daniel Coulombe.

The Takeaway

The Mariners have lost nine of their last 11 to fall five games under .500, including four in a row. It’s not a good look right now. The M’s are closer to the A’s for last in the division than they are to a wildcard spot.

Players of the Game

Hero: Jean Segura. The leadoff hitter went 4 for 4.

Goat: Nelson Cruz. 0 for 4, four runers stranded.

Next Game

Oakland Athletics (38-48) vs. Seattle Mariners (41-46) in the second of a four-game series on Friday at 7:10 p.m. at Safeco Field. LHP James Paxton (6-3, 3.27) hosts RHP Sean Manaea (7-4, 3.75).

What others are saying (and writing)

It was tough night for Gaviglio and for the M’s as a group. Yes, those two things are connected. … With the home losing streak reaching eight, don’t expect anything big from the Mariners at the trade deadline. … Nelson Cruz is close to a milestone. … We wrote this yesterday: Baserunning isn’t this Mariners team’s strength. And it wasn’t Thursday night either. … Robinson Cano has a right to be unhappy. … Former Mariners have a way of causing havoc with the current team. Oakland’s Paul Blackburn is the latest in a long line of players like that. And former Mariner manager Bob Melvin, who had the bad luck of being Lou Piniella’s replacement, picked up his 500th win. … Mitch Haniger has been struggling lately.