OAKLAND -- Frankie Montas turned some heads with his impressive start to the season, but it’s the different wrinkles he’s been showing off lately that are transforming him into a special pitcher.

Montas dominated the Mariners in Saturday’s 11-2 win, with less of the pitching to contact that has been responsible for most of his success this season. Instead, he showed off a nasty slider, one which he used as the putaway pitch on six of his nine strikeouts.

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Never really considering himself much of a strikeout pitcher despite a fastball that pumps up to 99 mph, Montas is certainly pitching like a punchout artist as of late. He’s recorded at least nine strikeouts in four of his past six outings.

“I’m just trying to throw strikes, and they’re swinging,” Montas said. “If I get two strikes, I’ll try to strike them out on the next pitch or two, but after that I go back to my contact game.”

The “contact game” has been Montas’ specialty. He entered the night with a 52.1 percent ground-ball rate, which is fifth-highest in the American League among pitchers who've given up at least 100 batted balls, per Statcast, but only six of his 18 outs recorded on Saturday came on the ground.

Whether he’s a ground-ball or strikeout guy, the A’s will take the results, which have been outstanding. Montas continues to make his case for a first career All-Star selection, now 9-2 with a 2.85 ERA on the year. The nine wins are tied for second-most in the American League.

With no shortage of star power when it comes to AL pitching, the competition Montas is up against is difficult. He may not have that ace pedigree like a Justin Verlander or Chris Sale, but for the A’s, Montas is undoubtedly the ace of the staff.

“It seems like this is kind of a typical game for him now -- six innings, one walk and nine strikeouts,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “We’re starting to get a little used to what he’s doing every time out.”

The newfound confidence Montas discovered in Spring Training after earning a spot in the rotation continues to grow with each start, and it's being reciprocated by the offense whenever he takes the mound. Montas’ 7.79 run support average is sixth-highest in the Majors.

Melvin doesn’t believe the extra firepower on offense with Montas on the mound is by accident. He recalled his time as a bench coach with the D-backs when Curt Schilling would get more run support than other pitchers on the staff, which Melvin believes was a product of Schilling's ability to work quick and get his team back in the dugout. It’s a similar vibe to the one going on with Montas this season.

“Schilling used to get a lot of runs, and it’s because he worked quick and kept the fielders on their toes,” Melvin said. “He got you in the dugout quickly and guys scored some runs. I don’t think it is coincidental that we end up playing a lot of good games behind [Montas].”

Montas received plenty of support from his offense, which exploded for five runs in the fourth and kept adding on throughout the night with contributions up and down the order, including Jurickson Profar, who finished the night 3-for-4 with four RBIs.

Much was made of Profar’s slow start to the year, both at the plate and on defense, but after Saturday, the second baseman leads the club with 39 RBIs.

“Even when he was struggling, average-wise, his hits were knocking runs in,” Melvin said of Profar, whose average is now up to .218. “Every time he comes up with guys in scoring position, I think he has a lot of confidence. The average really these days doesn’t make that much of a difference. He’s been very productive when he has a chance to knock in runs.”

Good company

For the fourth time this season, Montas picked up a win while recording at least nine strikeouts and allowing two earned runs or fewer. The only other A’s pitchers with four such games by the 71st game of the season were Vida Blue in 1971, when he won the AL Cy Young and MVP Awards, and Lefty Grove in 1926 and 1928.

The streak lives

Marcus Semien pushed his career-best hitting streak to 12 games with a 3-for-4 day that included a solo homer off Mariners lefty Wade LeBlanc in the second. Semien 21-for-53 (.396) over the stretch with three home runs, three doubles and 12 RBIs.