Game Thread #156: A’s Vs. Mariners

Welcome to the final week of the season as we kick off this three-game series against the Mariners. We are on a winning streak and boy, isn’t if fun! Seven in a row as we completed the sweep of the Rangers yesterday. Highlights included Khrush’s 41^st homerun. It has been a season of struggles and triumphs and this is definitely the case for Daniel Gossett, allowing at least three runs in all but one of his starts since being called up in August. But maybe triumph is just waiting for him with an 8^th straight win for the Athletics tonight.

In Gossett’s last outing against Detroit, he went 4 and 2/3rds innings and gave up six runs. On the season (16 starts for this rookie), Gossett is 4-9 with a 5.38 ERA. He battles one of the best, veteran right hander Felix Hernandez. Hernandez is 5-5 with a 4.57 ERA and 15 starts. He has missed approximately half of the season with injury, bouncing to and from the disabled list. This will be Hernandez’s third start since returning from this last disabled list stint. In his last two starts he has given up an average of one run per inning pitched, most of them earned. Here are the Athletics’ stats for those who have faced Hernandez in the past:

Probably the biggest reason to win tonight is to shorten the distance from the cellar floor. Despite having a tough season, there are always things to fight for and this is an important and possible one to achieve. Seattle is 75-81 with a two-game losing streak. We are three short of tying that record and could start to shorten that gap tonight! Khris Davis can focus on hitting tonight as the DH with Canha in left. Matt Olson left the game early yesterday with a hamstring issue and is being covered at first tonight by Ryon Healy. Here’s tonight’s starting lineup.