SEATTLE (AP) — Leo Rivas scored on Justin Turner’s fielder’s-choice grounder to lift the Seattle Mariners over the Oakland Athletics 7-6 in 10 innings on Saturday night.
Pinch-runner Rivas avoided Shea Langeliers' tag attempt at the plate with a wide slide, giving Seattle its third straight win and 11th victory in its final at-bat of the season.
“That’s not exactly what I was trying to do up there,” pinch-hitter Turner said of his grounder to second. “But (hitting coach Edgar Martinez) talks about it all the time, just trying to get a good pitch and hit it hard somewhere, move the ball forward and make things happen.”
The Mariners' comeback win — their 32nd of the season — came with nothing on the line after the team was eliminated from postseason contention midweek. But the teams traded late leads and Luke Raley rallied the Mariners twice for their seventh win in their last nine games.
First, Julio Rodríguez scored from first base on Raley’s double into the left-field corner for a 4-3 lead in the seventh inning. Then he hit a two-run homer to right field to tie it 6-6 in the ninth. His 22nd homer came after Langeliers had put the A’s up 6-4 in the top of the inning with a three-run homer.
“It’s the big leagues,” Raley said of his motivation. “Not everybody gets to do this. I will never take a day for granted.”
Eduard Bazardo (2-0) earned the win and Scott Alexander (1-3) took the loss.
Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh hit his 92nd career homer in the fourth inning, tying him with Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets Hall of Famer Mike Piazza for most home runs through the first four years of a career for catchers. That also ties Alvin Davis’ team record. Ninety of the 92 homers came after the switch hitter’s first year in the majors.
Josh Rojas added a two-run single later in the inning to put Seattle up 3-0.
Emerson Hancock, a rookie right-hander making his 12th start after being called up from Triple-A Tacoma, walked four batters. He struck out three and gave up five hits in 5 1/3 innings. But he started the fifth by putting Max Schuemann on base, then one out later Brent Rocker hit his 39th homer to cut the Mariners’ lead to 3-2.
“You can kind of see him emerging and taking on that responsibility (of clubhouse leadership), which is awesome,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “I hope that tomorrow works out for him and he gets that 40th homer.”
Tyler Soderstrom tied it in the sixth with a solo shot to the left-field corner.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners RHP Bryce Miller was moved to the 15-day injured list with a blister on his right index finger. The move opened a roster spot for Hancock. Miller was 12-8 and led the majors with nine starts of 6-plus scoreless innings. He’s the first Mariners starter with an ERA lower than 3.99 (2.94) and a WHIP below 1.00 (0.98) since Félix Hernández in 2014.
UP NEXT
Seattle RHP Logan Gilbert (8-12, 3.33 ERA) faces Oakland RHP Mitch Spence (8-9, 4.35) to close out the season.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Chris Talbott, The Associated Press
