OAKLAND — So often in this Mariners season of surprise, to just about everyone outside of their confident clubhouse, there have been countless times in which they’ve looked down and out. Yet every time it looks like Seattle is on the cusp of a spiral, it climbs its way back into the thick of postseason contention.
That resilience has never been on a more prominent display than during this make-or-break road trip, which enters its final leg after Seattle completed a sweep of the A’s on Thursday afternoon at the Coliseum, its first four-game sweep in Oakland in its 30th such series. The win was also the club’s sixth in its seventh contest on this final 10-game marathon of a road trip.
Following a 6-5 decision, Seattle (84-69) moved to just two games back of the second American League Wild Card spot, currently occupied by the Yankees (86-67), who were idle on Thursday. So were the Red Sox (88-65), who hold the top spot. Toronto (85-67) plays later this evening.
The Mariners have now won a franchise-best nine straight games against the defending AL West champion A’s, putting their division rivals’ season on life support in the process by creating two games of separation with them in the postseason standings. Seattle has won 12 of 15 against Oakland in 2021, with one final three-game series remaining against them next week at T-Mobile Park.
Thursday’s victory formula wasn’t exactly of the Mariners’ ilk this season, aside from its persistence. They trailed early after Yusei Kikuchi stumbled his way through three innings, but big homers from Cal Raleigh, Mitch Haniger and Luis Torrens helped power them back.
