The A’s fell behind early and never came back in a 9-0 loss Wednesday night to the Mariners at the Coliseum.
Starting pitcher Paul Blackburn saw his breakout start to the season paused as Seattle scored in each of the first three innings, then added five in the fifth frame to chase him from the game.
Blackburn (6-2) allowed five runs and 10 hits in four-plus innings after having given up just one run over his previous 13 1/3 innings. He gave up two home runs: A Cal Raleigh solo shot to center in the second inning to make it 2-0 and a two-run homer to Jesse Winker as part of the fifth-inning rally that eventually stretched the Mariners’ lead to 8-0.
The A’s fell to 23-47 and used a position player on the mound. Oakland infielder Sheldon Neuse worked a 1-2-3 ninth in his first career pitching appearance. Seattle improved to 31-39.
Mariners starter George Kirby (2-2) allowed five hits and had six strikeouts in six scoreless innings. Seattle has now won the first two games of the series dropping seven of nine its previous nine games.
Kirby, whose only other career win was May 31 at Baltimore, pitched with runners on in almost every inning but didn’t allow anyone past first base until the fifth when Oakland’s first two batters reached. Kirby then struck out Chad Pinder and got Nick Allen and Tony Kemp to fly out.
Ramón Laureano had two hits for Oakland, as did Sean Murphy. The A’s are 3-15 in June and have lost 17 of 20 overall.
TRAINER’S ROOM
OF Stephen Piscotty singled in four at-bats in his second rehab game with Triple-A Las Vegas. Piscotty has been on the injured list with a strained left calf since May 7.
UP NEXT
Mariners: LHP Robbie Ray (6-6, 4.25 ERA) faces the A’s for the second time this season. He had 10 strikeouts in seven innings against Oakland on May 25.
Athletics: RHP Frankie Montas (3-7, 3.53 ERA) has allowed two earned runs or fewer in nine starts this season but has one win in his past 11 appearances.
