Oakland 6, Seattle 1

Athletics 6, Mariners 1: George Kottaras belted a three-run homer and visiting Oakland pounded Seattle ace Felix Hernandez to snap a three-game losing streak.

Rookie A.J. Griffin (5-0) won his second straight start since coming off the disabled list, allowing one run and striking out seven in 5 1/3 innings to help the Athletics move one-half game ahead of Baltimore for the American League wild-card lead.

Cliff Pennington had three hits while Josh Donaldson and Stephen Drew had RBI hits in the fifth inning to knock out Fernandez and send him to his second-earliest exit of the season.

Fernandez (13-7) lost his second straight start following a nine-game winning streak, giving up six runs on a season high-tying 11 hits to fall to 13-6 lifetime against Oakland.

Griffin, meanwhile, permitted only a second-inning RBI single by Brendan Ryan and has not allowed more than three runs or two walks in any of his 10 career starts.

Kottaras broke a 1-1 deadlock in the fourth with his fourth homer of the year and third in as many games. Donaldson doubled home a run in the fifth and scored on Drew's single for a 6-1 lead, ending Hernandez's night.

Oakland got solid work from its bullpen, with Jerry Blevins tossing 1 2/3 hitless innings before Ryan Cook and Sean Doolittle finished up to hand the Mariners only their fourth loss in the past 15 games at Safeco Field.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Athletics RHP Brandon McCarthy showed positive signs Friday - getting out bed, eating food - in the wake of surgery for an epidural hematoma. McCarthy suffered a fractured skull and brain contusion when he was hit in the head by a line drive in Wednesday's game. Oakland's team trainer said McCarthy's situation remains "life-threatening" but the medical staff is "cautiously optimistic." ... Mariners DH Luis Jimenez, who has been with seven organizations since 2001, singled in the fourth for his first major-league hit. ... The home run by Kottaras was the 12th surrendered by Hernandez and only the third in his last 17 starts. ... Fernandez allowed double-digit hits for the fourth time this season. The first three came in a span of four starts in May.

• Seattle will play their next game at home against Oakland. The Mariners have a W/L % of .471 after a win and .493 after a loss.
• Oakland will play their next game on the road against Seattle. The Athletics have a W/L % of .605 after a win and .508 after a loss.