Mariners crush four homers to sink A's
OAKLAND -- A quartet of two-run home runs from Logan Morrison, Seth Smith, Nelson Cruz and Brad Miller carried the Mariners to a 9-5 victory over the A's at the Coliseum on Friday night.
The Mariners, who managed just two hits in Thursday's series-opening loss, tallied 13 this time, including nine in 6 1/3 innings against A's starter Jesse Chavez, who was responsible for Morrison and Smith's home runs that wiped away a three-run lead gained by the A's in the second against J.A. Happ -- highlighted by RBI hits from Mark Canha and Billy Burns. Canha also hit a two-run double in the ninth.
"We bounced back real nice today," said Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon, whose team improved to 6-2 against the A's this season. "That was a big win for us, particularly falling behind 3-0. The guys kept fighting."
Video: SEA@OAK: Burns bloops RBI double to right field
Right-hander Evan Scribner gave up Seattle's final two homers to Cruz and Miller in the eighth inning. The A's reliever has allowed nine long balls on the season, most among Major League relievers.
"It's some balls up in the zone, whether it's a heater up or whether it's a curveball hung to Miller," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "He has the ability to pitch very well for us. He's just going through a tough time."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Video: SEA@OAK: Smith launches towering two-run homer
Two runs are better than one: The Mariners had 57 solo shots among their 81 homers coming into the game, but got better production with their four two-run pops in the same game. Morrison provided a big blast early with his 10th homer of the year, a shot to center in the third that pulled Seattle within a run at 3-2. Smith then pushed the Mariners into the lead at 4-3 with his seventh homer of the year in the sixth. Cruz followed with his team-leading 21st blast in the eighth and Miller added his eighth of the year later that frame to blow the game open. More >
Video: SEA@OAK: Miller clubs two-run homer to right-center
Deep trouble: Chavez entered the game ranked fourth in the American League in fewest home runs per nine innings (0.50). But the right-hander, who had allowed a combined two home runs in his previous four starts and just five total on the season, surrendered a pair of two-run shots. Scribner, meanwhile, has made a habit out of giving up home runs this season, with six of his nine allowed coming since the beginning of June.
"When I first started struggling, it was just my fastball location," Scribner said. "I lost it for like a week, and then I think I tried to overcompensate with my off-speed stuff, and now everybody's just sitting on that."
Video: SEA@OAK: Happ fans five in Mariners' win over A's
Happ-y to get a little help: Happ gave up three runs and eight hits over his six innings for Seattle, but snapped a personal four-game losing streak and picked up his first win since May 9 thanks to finally getting a little run support. The Mariners had totaled just six runs in his four straight losses and 22 over his last nine starts, when he'd gone 0-4 with five no-decisions while posting a 4.37 ERA. Happ gave up three runs in the second and was at 81 pitches after four innings, but finished strong by retiring the last seven batters faced to improve to 4-5 with a 3.93 ERA.
"'Trust the process, hold the vision' is one of the quotes I kept trying to tell myself in my head," Happ said of his long winless streak. "You just have put your work in and trust that it's going to pay off and sooner or later we're going to make it happen. Tonight was good."
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"I felt good I think five of their hits were ground balls and the other one dropped over first. I think that's what you're supposed to do. But no excuses either. They found holes and put a couple up on the board in the second. I tried to bear down and put up zeroes after that, and it was awesome to go out there in the sixth and pitch with a lead." -- Happ
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The Mariners had four home runs in two different games earlier this season -- but lost both of them. They did win their one game with more than four -- a six-homer, 11-4 rout of the Padres on May 12.
WHAT'S NEXT
Mariners: Felix Hernandez (10-4, 3.05 ERA) continues his long rivalry with the A's in Saturday's 1:05 p.m. PT game at the Coliseum. Hernandez is 20-7 with a 2.63 ERA in 37 games against the A's and has made 14 straight starts in Oakland without a loss. He threw six innings of one-hit ball in his last start in Anaheim, but came out after 96 pitches due to cramping in his side.
A's: Kendall Graveman takes the mound for Saturday's 1:05 p.m. PT start against the Mariners at the Coliseum. The right-hander is 4-2 with a 2.01 ERA in eight starts since his return from Triple-A Nashville.
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