With loss to M's, A's lead cut in Wild Card race

OAKLAND -- A rough beginning doomed the A's in their return home, a lifeless performance against the Mariners unfolding in front of the Coliseum crowd on Thursday night.
Oakland's 7-1 loss brought only four hits and two too many misplays, by the man who rarely makes them.
Matt Chapman's blundering defense led to three unearned runs in a five-run first inning for the Mariners, who moved within 4 1/2 games of the A's for the second American League Wild Card spot following the opener of a crucial four-game set.
The A's remained 2 1/2 games back of the AL West lead, thanks to an Astros loss to the Angels, after Oakland lost consecutive games for only the second time this month.

A hint of fatigue infiltrated their latest matchup, which came on the heels of a fierce three-game set in Houston.
"You know what, I saw a little bit of it in [batting practice] today, I think," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "It happens from time to time. That last series took a lot out of us. It's no excuse. But I saw a little bit. We're not going to hit [BP] tomorrow, try to combat that a little bit. Just one of those tough nights."

All seven runs scored against right-hander Frankie Montas, who went six innings in a game that swiftly turned into an opportunity for the A's to rest their bullpen. Recalled from Triple-A Nashville to take the rotation spot of an injured Sean Manaea, Montas gave up eight hits, four of them coming in the opening frame.
Montas issued two walks, with both of those runners scoring, while Mariners lefty Wade LeBlanc worked around three walks and allowed only three hits over seven scoreless innings. Jed Lowrie's RBI single in the eighth accounted for Oakland's lone run.

This was no spot start for Montas, who figures to stay in the A's rotation as Manaea (left rotator cuff tendinitis) and Brett Anderson (left ulnar nerve irritation) could both miss the rest of the season, and it underscores a potential problem for these playoff hopefuls. The rotation's recent woes are worrisome: A's starters have allowed 25 earned runs while working only 41 1/3 innings over the last nine games.
J.B. Wendelken, who was also recalled on Thursday, pitched the final three innings, holding the Mariners to one hit and striking out three.
"Small victories in the fact that [Montas] was able to give us six innings, and then J.B. was able to give us three and rest a bullpen that was pretty worn out," Melvin said. "Obviously, the goal is to win every day, but sometimes there are some small victories."

MOMENT THAT MATTERED
A's face early hole: Seattle sent 10 batters to the plate in the first. Former Athletic Ryon Healy dealt the first blow with a two-out RBI single, and Montas issued a bases-loaded walk to Ben Gamel to fall behind, 2-0. That's when Mike Zunino sent a grounder to Chapman, who botched the routine play with an errant throw to first base that sent two more runs in. Another run scored when Chapman momentarily bobbled a Dee Gordon grounder, allowing Gordon to reach on an infield single courtesy of a tardy throw.
Chapman was replaced by Chad Pinder at third base to start the seventh.
"You're used to all the spectacular plays, and everything he does, he plays it as high of pace as anyone in the game," Melvin said. "That's one of the reasons I gave him a little bit of the game off. He plays every day, gives 110 percent every day. It wasn't just him. We just had an off game all the way around."

HE SAID IT
"I was going a little bit too fast in the first inning, but then later on in the game, I started to calm down and execute. I was just trying to save the bullpen and trying to give the team a good chance and try for the win." -- Montas, on settling down after the first
UP NEXT
Right-hander Mike Fiers, who is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA in four starts with the A's, will be back on the mound for Friday's 7:05 p.m. PT tilt at the Coliseum. Seattle will counter with right-hander Mike Leake (8-8, 4.03) as the battle for the second AL Wild Card spot continues.