Oakland @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 11, 2014 ) Oakland 2, Seattle 3

With eight hits in his last three games, Robinson Cano is on quite the tear as he finishes up the first half of the season. The Dominican looks to extend both his hitting streak to six games overall and 20 contests against the Oakland Athletics when the Seattle Mariners play host on Saturday. Cano, who ripped the go-ahead RBI double in Friday's 3-2 win, has raised his batting average 10 points in the last five games.

Seattle has won six of the 11 meetings with major league-leading Oakland, who fell for just the second time in nine outings. Stephen Vogt homered to extend his career-high hitting streak to 11 games — with five of his last six outings resulting in multi-hit performances. Jed Lowrie can do him one better on the latter stat, recording six multi-hit contests in seven outings.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, CSCA (Oakland), ROOT (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Jesse Chavez (7-5, 3.06 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Hisashi Iwakuma (7-4, 3.07)

Chavez posted his first victory since June 15 after scattering four hits and striking out nine over six innings in a 5-0 win over San Francisco on Monday. The 30-year-old kept the ball in the park for the sixth straight appearance and has allowed just nine home runs in 109 innings this season. Chavez yielded two runs (one earned) in six innings in a no-decision versus Seattle on April 3 before permitting four runs in 5 2/3 frames in an 8-3 setback on May 6.

Iwakuma put forth his second consecutive stellar start after two disastrous ones, scattering four hits and striking out a season-high 10 batters in seven innings in a 2-0 triumph over Minnesota on Monday. The 33-year-old Japan native owns a 3-4 career mark versus Oakland, but has yet to face the American League West rival in 2014. Iwakuma hasn't walked a batter in each of his last two starts and has only issued eight free passes in 88 innings this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Oakland 1B Alberto Callaspo strained his right hamstring Friday and isn't expected to play until after the All-Star break.

2. Seattle CF James Jones is 8-for-21 during his five-game hitting streak.

3. Athletics OF Coco Crisp is nursing both a sore neck and ankle, but manager Bob Melvin considers him day-to-day.

PREDICTION: Athletics 5, Mariners 2