Mariners lose to A’s on walk-off home run in 10th

Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. — Mark Canha hit a two-out, two-run home run in the 10th inning, lifting the Oakland Athletics to a 3-1 win over the Seattle Mariners on Friday night.

The Mariners had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the 10th when pinch-runner Dee Strange-Gordon – playing in his 1,000th career game – scored on a passed ball.

The A’s came back with the majors-leading sixth walkoff win.

Ramon Laureano hit a two-out double to drive in Sean Murphy, who began the inning at second base. Canha followed with a deep drive on a 1-1 pitch from Joey Gerber (1-1) that cleared the fence in right. It was Canha’s second game-ending hit this season.

The A’s (35-22) moved past the Minnesota Twins (35-23) in the race for the second seed in the AL. Oakland had lost three of four and five of 11.

Both teams were held scoreless through nine innings before the offenses broke through.

Jake Diekman (2-0) retired three batters to claim win.

Gordon put the Mariners ahead 1-0 after sitting on the bench for the first nine innings.

After Strange-Gordon moved to third on pinch-hitter Luis Torrens’ long fly to right, Evan White swung and missed at a pitch from Jake Diekman (1-1), but the ball deflected off catcher Sean Murphy’s glove. Strange-Gordon raced home and slid in safely.

Both teams made strong defensive plays in left field in the eighth.

Oakland’s Robbie Grossman ran into the wall after chasing down Joseph Odom’s long fly with two outs. In the bottom half, Seattle’s Tim Lopes also sprinted and made a running catch at the warning track on pinch-hitter Jonah Hein’s deep fly after the A’s had runners on second and third.

Both starters took shutouts deep into the game.

Oakland’s Chris Bassitt struck out six and allowed five hits in seven innings. Bassitt has not allowed a run in three of his last four starts and has a 0.34 ERA (one earned run in 26.2 innings) during that stretch.

Seattle’s Yusei Kikuchi worked in and out of trouble to pitch four-hit ball over six innings. Kikuchi struck out five and walked three. Mariners starters have allowed one run or fewer in five of their last six starts.