Seattle Mariners Fend Off Oakland Athletics to Set Franchise Record For Wins in a Month
The Seattle Mariners made history with their 5-4 win over the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday.
Seattle improved to 21-6 since Aug. 1, which is the second-best record in baseball in that span. Two separate eight-game winning streaks helped the Mariners string together the ongoing heater, which is a high-point of sorts for the West Coast franchise.
The 21 wins are the most in a single calendar month in Mariners history, the club announced on social media.
Seattle was able to reach that mark just in the nick of time, since the team has Thursday – Aug. 31 – off.
It wasn't an easy ride to win No. 21 either, considering the last-place Athletics actually managed to put up a fight Wednesday afternoon.
Oakland got out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning when center fielder Lawrence Butler homered and first baseman Ryan Noda doubled off right-handed starter Bryce Miller. Even after the Mariners tied things up in the third on a three-run shot by right fielder Teoscar Hernandez, the Athletics went back ahead in the seventh thanks to an RBI double by left fielder Esteury Ruiz.
It took a bases loaded, two-RBI single from shortstop JP Crawford with one down in the bottom of the seventh to get Seattle back on top, as well as a 1-2-3 save from closer Andrés Muñoz to put a bow on it.
The Mariners are now 76-57 on the season and 13-2 in the last 16 days, which is good enough for first place in the AL West right alongside the defending World Series champion Houston Astros. The Texas Rangers, meanwhile, are 0.5 games back of Seattle and Houston.
With August in their rear-view mirror, the Mariners open up their September slate with a road series against the New York Mets. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET on Friday.
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