Oakland @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 6, 2015 ) Seattle 3, Oakland 2

Slugger Nelson Cruz has plenty on the line when his Seattle Mariners open a three-game, season-ending series with the visiting Oakland Athletics on Friday. Ken Griffey Jr. (56 home runs in 1997) is the only Mariner to lead the majors in homers and Cruz has 44 - one behind Baltimore’s Chris Davis for the top spot.

Cruz tied Jay Buhner for the most in a single season by a right-handed hitter in club history with a solo shot in a 7-6 loss to Houston on Wednesday. The Mariners have dropped seven of their last eight after an 8-4 stretch, but have handled the Athletics this season with 12 victories in 16 meetings. Oakland (66-93), which owns the worst record in the American League after reaching the playoffs three straight seasons, edged the Los Angeles Angels 8-7 on Wednesday for its second victory in the last 11 contests. Oakland shortstop Marcus Semien is 18-for-55 with four homers and 11 RBIs in 15 games against Seattle in 2015.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Aaron Brooks (2-4, 7.26 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Hisashi Iwakuma (9-5, 3.67)

Brooks permitted three runs over 2 2/3 innings of relief against San Francisco in his last outing Sept. 26 and is expected to make his ninth start of the season. The 25-year-old, who was acquired from Kansas City in the Ben Zobrist deal late in July, yielded six runs across 2 1/3 frames in a loss to Seattle on Sept. 4. Brooks owns one victory in his last nine outings and has given up 67 hits over 48 1/3 innings overall in 2015.

Iwakuma is 3-2 with a 2.18 ERA in five September starts and allowed three or fewer runs in his last six outings. The 34-year-old Japan native struck out a season-high 10 in seven shutout frames at Kansas City on Sept. 22 before surrendering three runs over 7 1/3 innings in a loss to the Los Angeles Angels last time out. Iwakuma has split two outings against Oakland this season, giving up one run Sept. 6 and seven on Aug. 24.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Mariners have hit 87 homers at Safeco Park – third-most in the history of the park and five away from tying the 2000 team for first.

2. Oakland OF Josh Reddick has hit safely in seven of the last eight games and is three shy of his second 80-RBI season.

3. Seattle 1B-OF Mark Trumbo is 6-for-13 with a homer and two RBIs during a five-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Mariners 6, Athletics 2