OAKLAND — Seth Brown homered in the fourth inning and hit a game-ending single in the ninth to lead the Oakland Athletics over the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Tuesday night for their second straight walk-off victory.
With the score 2-2, JJ Bleday walked with one out in the ninth against Trent Thorton (3-3). Shea Langeliers singled, and Brown capped a seven-pitch at-bat by lining a single past the outstretched glove of second baseman Jorge Polanco and into center field.
“That’s what makes baseball fun, right there,” Brown said. “We’re in the moment right now, enjoying it, and we’re fighting every plane right now. These games are the ones you play it for.”
Hit drew cheers from the crowd of 3,924, the smallest since the Coliseum since the May 6 game against Texas tied 2,895. Oakland has six walk-off wins this season, including one on Monday when Langeliers hit a solo home run to lead bottom of the ninth inning for a 5-4 A victory.
Seattle has lost four straight and is 5 1/2 games back for the final AL wild card.
“I always say it’s never too late,” Mariners starter Luis Castillo said through an interpreter. “We have a chance. If the playoffs are there and it’s in our cards, we’ll get there. What we can do is just get in here and just keep working.”
Hogan Harris (3-3) pitched three hitless innings for the A’s, who have had four straight games end in walk-offs, the first two losses at Texas. Randy Arozarena walked with one out in the ninth but was caught stealing second on a double play when pinch-hitter Justin Turner struck out.
Oakland starter GT Ginn allowed two runs and five hits in six innings with seven strikeouts and one walk.
“Even though they went down early the last two nights, there’s never a feeling in that dugout that they’re out of the game,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “You see the care in that room for each other, which is amazing.”
Castillo gave up a first-pitch homer to Lawrence Butler and then retired 11 straight batters before Brown homered to tie the game at 2-2.
Cal Raleigh had two hits and two RBIs for the Mariners.
UP NEXT
RHP George Kirby (10-10, 3.63 ERA), whose 12 strikeouts are the most by a Mariners pitcher in one game this season, will start Wednesday. LHP JP Sears (11-9, 4.21) starts for the A’s.
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