Canha, A’s slug way to a two-game sweep of Seattle

The Athletics took complete control over the Mariners in the sixth inning Wednesday behind a first career multi-homer game from Mark Canha.

Seattle (39-60) scored the first two runs of the game in the second, but a pair of dingers from Canha were matched by a pair more from Jurickson Profar and one apiece from Chad Pinder and Ramón Laureano. The A’s (55-41) went ahead in the fourth and never looked back, cruising to a 10-2 drowning of the Mariners at the Oakland Coliseum.

Homer Bailey (W, 8-6, 4.69 ERA) made his A’s debut an impressive one, besting Seattle’s Erik Swanson (ND, 1-5, 8.10 ERA) and holding the M’s to two runs on seven hits over seven innings. Bailey struck out six and did not issue a walk.

Manager Bob Melvin was thoroughly impressed with the newly acquired pitcher:

“For a guy that hasn’t pitched in basically two weeks, to go out there – I wouldn’t say rusty, but they got some hits off him early in the game, but then shut it down when he needed to. Sometimes there’s some nerves with a new team and some expectations … but he goes out there and gives us six innings.”

Dylan Moore smashed a triple in the top of the second sending Tim Beckham home for the game’s opening salvo. Immediately after, Dee Gordon Sent a sharp ground ball to Laureano in center for an RBI single of his own.

Oakland answered back immediately, with the aid of a high Oakland afternoon sun. Laureano, leading off the frame lifted a pop up to Kyle Seager at third. But Seager, who appeared to be calling for it, bailed out at the last second granting a hustling Laureano second. Profar’s first homer (12) tied matters.

Former Athletic Tommy Milone (L, 1-3, 3.95 ERA) entered the fray in the third, and he could do little to slow the Oakland onslaught.

Canha began the game in the clean-up spot, leaving DH Kris out of the four-hole for the first time since 2016.Melvin said before the game:

“Sometimes you struggle a little bit and a change of scenery can help, that’s all it is. He’ll be back in the fourth spot some time, I have no doubt, but just trying to give him a different look .”

Canha opened the bottom of the fourth smashing a homer (14) to left-center field to put Oakland up 3-2. He added his second of the afternoon, another solo blast (15), in the sixth, and Pinder followed him over the wall, a three-run bomb (15), four batters later. Canha attributes work ethic and understanding his role on the team:

“I’m glad I’m filling in doing a good job, that’s kind of my role, or it was at least going into the beginning of this year. Just fill in when I’m needed and I’m happy to take on that role and I’m glad that I’m doing a good job at it. Every game from here on out is going to be important, we just need to grab however many wins as possible no matter who it’s against. I hate putting too much emphasis or weight on one game or one series, especially when it’s July, but they’re all big from here on out.”

Yusmeiro Petit (2-1, 2.44 ERA) replaced Bailey. Joakim Soria (1-4, 4.78 ERA) followed Petit and matched his scoreless frame in the eighth, thanks to the latest homer-robbing catch by Laureano. After the second inning Bailey shook off the rust and did what he does best, as he said:

“Just being a little bit rusty early, needing to find a tempo, day-game, everything kind of combined, but the energy that this team brings every day kind of fueled me to help me go out there and start trying to do my best to put up some zeros.

Laureano followed his defensive antics with a dinger (19) that wouldn’t be caught in the bottom half, and Profar made it an even six long balls for the A’s.

Blake Treinen (2-3, 4.66 ERA) put the finishing touches on the A’s short but successful 5-0 homestand.

Up Next

The A’s will head to Minnesota to face the Twins for four games starting Thursday. The last time the two clubs met, just two weeks ago, Oakland took a 2-1 series victory.

Notes

Stephen Piscotty is recovering from a knee injury, but manager Bob Melvin said pre-game that he is on the right track. He’s able to run in straight lines, but felt a some discomfort making turns. The A’s are still not quite ready to set a timetable for Piscotty’s return. He will stay in Oakland while the A’s are in Minnesota, though the plan is for him to meet the club in Houston. … Matt Chapman was removed from the game in the bottom of the fifth due to left ankle soreness. Melvin post-game said that he’s day-to-day and that it bothered him a little bit, but they don’t want to mess around with it.