OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Dominic Canzone homered and drove in four runs as the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 6-3 on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep and maintain their position in the tight AL West race.
Julio Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh added back-to-back homers to give Seattle 200 home runs in a season for the seventh time in franchise history. Raleigh also doubled, giving him 52 extra-base hits, the most by a Mariners catcher in a season.
Seattle (84-68) kept pace with Texas (84-68) and division-leading Houston (85-68), which both won Wednesday. The Rangers and Mariners are also tied for the third and final AL wild card, one-half game behind Toronto, which played later Wednesday.
Rodríguez reached 100 RBIs, becoming the third player age 22 or younger with at least 30 homers, 30 stolen bases and 100 RBIs in a season, joining Alex Rodriguez (1998) and Ronald Acuña Jr. (2019).
George Kirby (11-10) scattered eight hits across seven strong innings, allowing three runs and striking out three. The right-hander earned his first win since Aug. 5 against the Angels.
Justin Topa pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save.
Zack Gelof and Brent Rooker homered for the A’s, who lost their seventh in a row and suffered their 19th sweep of the year, extending an Oakland record.
The Athletics (46-106) moved within two losses of the Oakland record set in 1979 and fell 60 games below .500 for the first time since 1919.
In his major league debut, Joey Estes (0-1) allowed six runs, five earned, on six hits with two strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. The 21-year-old right-hander became the 24th pitcher to start for the Athletics this season, tying the 1915 Philadelphia A’s for the major league record.
SEATTLE DOMINANCE
The Mariners finished the season series 12-1 against the A’s, their best record against a divisional opponent in franchise history and Oakland’s worst record against any opponent in a season series of at least 12 games in club history.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: LHP Sean Newcomb underwent lateral meniscus surgery on his left knee and is expected to be ready for spring training.
ROSTER MOVES
The A’s optioned RHP Devin Sweet to Triple-A Las Vegas and transferred Newcomb to the 60-day injured list to clear a roster spot for Estes.
UP NEXT
Mariners: Following an off day, RHP Bryce Miller (8-5, 3.88 ERA) opens a three-game series at Texas on Friday.
Athletics: RHP Luis Medina (3-9, 5.56) opens a four-game home series against Detroit on Thursday. The Tigers counter with LHP Tarik Skubal (6-3, 3.25), who has won each of his last three starts.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
