Hancock, Mariners play spoiler in crucial win over A's

WEST SACRAMENTO -- First place suddenly came within the Mariners’ grasp on Tuesday night in a divisional showdown against the very team they’re chasing.

And within a 4-1 win over the Athletics came a promising development that’s eluded them for most of this season: They hit a left-handed starting pitcher -- early, often and hard.

Seattle ambushed southpaw Gage Jump -- who was making his Major League debut -- for each of their four runs and nine hits while chasing him after five innings. On the other side, the Mariners ended A’s slugger Nick Kurtz’s on-base streak at 48 games, which is tied with Mark McGwire for the franchise record.

Basically, they exercised a little spoiler mojo on the team that’s emerged as their truest threat -- at least so far -- in defending their American League West title.

The Mariners (27-29) are still trying to get back above .500 for the first time since March 30, but with a sweep in Wednesday’s finale, they’d have sole possession of first place for the first time all season.

The offensive highlights were promising, but the night’s MVP was easily Emerson Hancock, who began the night 12 up and 12 down and finished the night with six shutout innings, allowing just one hit and surrendering two walks. In the process, he lowered his team-best ERA to 2.78 through 11 starts.