Game Thread #152: A’s vs. Mariners

The Oakland A’s postseason odds are down to 2% or lower. They needed a big performance this week in their four-game series against the Seattle Mariners at the Coliseum, but instead they dropped the first two contests. They now stand three games out of the Second Wild Card with 11 to go.

On Wednesday, the A’s look to Cole Irvin on the mound. The lefty was quality in each of his last two starts, but he hasn’t had any success against the Mariners. He’s faced them three times and lost each game, never completing five innings in any of them.

For Seattle it’s Chris Flexen. He’s gone against Oakland three times with mixed results — he was knocked around once, mediocre once, and quality once, totaling eight runs in 18 innings of work.

Mathematically the A’s aren’t on the brink of elimination yet, but they may as well be. Gotta win tonight.

A’s lineup (home)

1. 2B Josh Harrison (R)
2. CF Starling Marte (R)
3. 1B Matt Olson (L)
4. DH Jed Lowrie (S)
5. RF Mark Canha (R)
6. 3B Matt Chapman (R)
7. LF Tony Kemp (L)
8. C Sean Murphy (R)
9. SS Elvis Andrus (R)

• LHP Cole Irvin

Oakland scored four runs total in the first two games combined.

Mariners lineup (away)

1. SS J.P Crawford (L)
2. 1B Ty France (R)
3. RF Mitch Haniger (R)
4. 3B Kyle Seager (L)
5. DH Luis Torrens (R)
6. 2B Abraham Toro (S)
7. CF Jarred Kelenic (L)
8. C Tom Murphy (R)
9. LF Dylan Moore (R)

• RHP Chris Flexen

Let’s go Oakland!

How To Watch

• Date: Wednesday, September 22
• Time: 6:40 p.m. PT
• TV (local): NBC Sports California
• Radio: 960 AM (more listings here)
• Streaming (watch): NBCS website (with cable sub)
• Streaming (listen): A’s Cast