'Funk' lingers for A's in another sloppy loss

SEATTLE -- The A's 20th loss in their 32nd game doubled as their sloppiest. Already leading the league in errors, the club tacked on four more to their season total in Saturday's deflating 7-2 defeat in Seattle.

Shouldering a four-game losing streak and an 8 1/2-game division deficit, the A's have 32 errors in as many games, which have led to 20 unearned runs -- most in the American League.

"We're making some young mistakes," said A's manager Bob Melvin. "We do have a lot of range and get to a lot of balls and then end up making a mistake. But it's the consistency of it. We'll play a really great game where we make some plays, and then we'll play another game where we'll make four errors, and you're not going to win any games making four errors."

On Saturday, their first four-error game since Aug. 22, 2012 resulted in two unearned runs. Shortstop Marcus Semien was charged with half of the four errors on the same play in the first inning, botching what would have been an inning-ending groundout to allow Seattle's second run to score with starter Jesse Hahn on the mound.

Video: OAK@SEA: Cruz scores on Semien's fielding error

In the fifth, third baseman Brett Lawrie made a nice diving stop to his left on a sharp grounder off the bat of Nelson Cruz but threw it into the outfield, bringing in two runs. Hahn also made an error on a pickoff attempt at first base.

"I just think, in general, as a team right now, we're in a little slump, a funk, and it can only get better from here," said Hahn, who allowed six runs (four earned) in 5 1/3 innings. "We come to the field every day, and we work hard. Things aren't going our way, but we're going to keep our heads up and keep working hard, and hopefully everything's going to start clicking for us."