Mariners’ Bryce Miller hands A’s their seventh straight loss
SEATTLE — Mariners rookie pitcher Bryce Miller kept the A’s spiraling downward as he limited Oakland to two hits over six shutout innings to continue his spectacular early success, and the Mariners used a big inning to beat the Athletics 6-1 on Wednesday night.
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 Athletics couldn’t touch Miller. He capped his night striking out Shea Langeliers on a 95 mph fastball to end the sixth inning.
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.
“There’s going to be some adjustments he’s going to need to make along the way, the more teams get to see him and the book gets on him a little bit more,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “But, you know, if it ain’t broke, you don’t fix it. And the results are outstanding.”
Miller made his debut May 2 against the Athletics with 10 strikeouts, two hits and one run allowed. And three weeks later, Oakland still couldn’t solve the young right-hander.
Of his 90 pitches Wednesday, 73 were fastballs.
“The plan is the same, go out and attack with the fastball and get ahead, and until it’s proven that I need to stray away from it then I’m going to keep riding with it,” Miller said.
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.
For the A’s, Díaz’s double in the seventh off reliever Matt Brash scored JJ Bleday with their only run.
Seattle’s offense came alive in the fourth inning, batting around against Ken Waldichuk, who came in after opener Austin Pruitt threw a scoreless first inning. 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.
“He just started pitching behind in the count in that inning,” Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said. “He wasn’t getting ahead of hitters and that’s going to hurt you when you’re behind in the count against these guys.”
Teoscar Hernández hit his ninth homer of the season leading off the seventh inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
A’s right-hander Paul Blackburn, recovering from torn nail on his right middle finger, inched closer to returning to the majors with a strong rehab start Wednesday night for Triple-A Las Vegas. Blackburn threw five innings, allowing five hits, one run, one walk and five strikeouts.
It’s possible Blackburn’s next start could come in Oakland next Wednesday afternoon against the Atlanta Braves.
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.