SEATTLE (AP) — Bryce Miller limited Oakland to two hits over six shutout innings to continue his spectacular early success, and the Seattle Mariners used a big inning to beat the Athletics 6-1 on Wednesday night.
Seattle scored five times and sent 11 batters to the plate in the fourth inning, providing more than enough offense for Miller and a trio of relievers.
Miller (3-1) has pitched at least six innings in each of his five starts. He’s allowed just two hits in three of the five outings and has allowed four earned runs in 31 1/3 innings. He’s the first pitcher since at least 1901 to throw at least six innings and allow four or fewer hits in each of his first five appearances.
Miller made his debut May 2 against the Athletics with 10 strikeouts, two hits and one run allowed. And three weeks later, Oaklamd still couldn’t solve the young right-hander.
The A’s (10-41) lost their seventh straight game and 15th in 17 games. They are the third team since 1901 to have a winning percentage below .200 after 51 games, joining Boston (.196) in 1932 and Washington (.188) in 1904.
Miller added to the misery, allowing only four baserunners to go with six strikeouts. Aledmys Díaz’s single in the third inning was Oakland’s first hit and Ryan Noda’s check swing blooper in the sixth parachuted into the outfield for a single. Miller also walked one and hit a batter.
But for the most part the Athleticss couldn’t touch Miller. He capped his night striking out Shea Langeliers on a 95 mph fastball to end the sixth inning.
Díaz’s double in the seventh off reliever Matt Brash scored JJ Bleday with Oakland’s only run.
Seattle’s offense came alive in the fourth inning, batting around against Ken Waldichuk. The Mariners had five hits and three walks in the inning off Waldichuk (1-4), including Sam Haggerty’s two-run double and RBI singles from J.P. Crawford and Julio Rodríguez.
Teoscar Hernández hit his ninth homer of the season leading off the seventh inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: 1B Ty France was out of the lineup after getting hit by a pitch on the outside of his left hand late in Tuesday’s win. France’s hand was slightly swollen but the Mariners felt fortunate to avoid a significant injury. France said the pitch hit the outside of his palm and avoided both his wrist and pinkie finger.
UP NEXT
Athletics: LHP JP Sears (0-3, 4.99) has a 3.57 ERA in four starts in the month of May. Sears threw six innings and allowed two runs in his last start against Houston.
Mariners: RHP Logan Gilbert (2-2, 3.81) looks for his second straight win after throwing six innings and allowing two runs in a win over Atlanta in his last outing.
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