Sean Manaea strikes out career-high 13 in Oakland’s victory over Seattle
The Oakland Athletics extended their winning streak to three games on Thursday night with a 4-1 victory over the Mariners at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
Oakland lefty Sean Manaea was dominant, delivering seven one-run innings and establishing a new career-high with 13 strikeouts. Manaea, now 7-6 on the season, earned his first victory since June 14 while helping Oakland improve to 56-42 on the year, 2 1/2 games behind the Houston Astros in the West.
Manaea became the first A’s pitcher to record 13 strikeouts and allow one run or fewer since Todd Stottlemyre on June 16, 1995.
Manaea found his groove early. He pounded the strike zone with fastballs, at times revving the pitch up to 96 miles per hour. The tall southpaw struck out nine batters in his first four innings, putting himself on track to establish a new career-best in the category.
Manaea’s excellent performance did not come without some adversity. Early in the contest, home plate umpire Sam Holbrook made a handful of questionable calls that went against the A’s starter. In the third inning Holbrook appeared to miss back-to-back pitches that led to one of Manaea’s three walks.
Later in the contest, it was Manaea who got himself into some trouble after he left a fastball over the plate to Seattle catcher Tom Murphy, who blasted it over the fence in left field to pull his team within 2-1. But strikeouts mitigated the damage and the run proved inconsequential.
Manaea’s superb pitching also alleviated some offensive pressure for an A’s team that scored just two runs in the first seven innings, but picked things up late with a two-run eighth inning that seemed to seal their victory. Every A’s starter but first baseman Matt Olson picked up a hit in the winning effort. Center fielder Ramon Laureano drove in two runs, and Olson and Sean Murphy each knocked in one.
The A’s also received strong performances from their bullpen on Thursday night. Right-hander Sergio Romo pitched a scoreless eighth inning, his latest appearance in a streak of excellent outings. Romo hasn’t allowed a run since June 26 and has limited opponents to just two hits in their last 30 at-bats against him.
Closer Lou Trivino pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his 16th save of the season.
The A’s are scheduled to play their second of four games in Seattle on Friday at 7:10 p.m. PT. Righty Frankie Montas is expected to start for Oakland with All-Star lefty Yusei Kikuchi expected to oppose him. Kikuchi has allowed 13 runs in 17 innings pitched in July.