Oakland @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 29, 2016 ) Oakland 2, Seattle 3

The Seattle Mariners are hanging by a thread in their quest for the postseason and are running out of time in a hurry. The Mariners attempt to keep alive their playoff hopes when they host the Oakland Athletics on Friday for the second contest of their season-ending four-game series.

Seattle came away with a 3-2 victory in the opener but gained no ground in the race for a wild-card spot, remaining two games behind Baltimore and Toronto with three contests remaining. The bottom-third of the order did all the damage Thursday as Leonys Martin, Mike Zunino and Ketel Marte each recorded two hits and an RBI for the Mariners, who have won six of their last eight. Oakland suffered its ninth loss in 10 games, scoring once in the ninth inning before Yonder Alonso and Max Muncy struck out with the tying run on third base to end the contest. Rookie Ryon Healy continues to swing a hot bat as he is 10-for-19 during his five-game hitting streak.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Raul Alcantara (1-2, 5.75 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Taijuan Walker (7-11, 4.35)

Alcantara is coming off a loss to Texas on Saturday in which he yielded four runs and seven hits over six innings. The 23-year-old Dominican had allowed the same amount of runs over 11 1/3 frames in his previous two turns. One of those outings was against Seattle on Sept. 11, when Alcantara gave up two runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 frames of a no-decision.

Walker has won three of his last four starts, including a triumph at Minnesota on Sunday in which he allowed three runs and nine hits over 5 1/3 innings. The 24-year-old native of Louisiana has yielded three runs or fewer in each of his last four turns after surrendering four or more in five straight outings. Walker has yet to defeat Oakland in six career meetings (four starts), falling to 0-2 after allowing five runs (one earned) and four hits in 7 1/3 frames on May 23.

WALK-OFFS

1. Athletics 2B Chad Pinder belted his first home run in 20 major league games after hitting 14 in 107 Triple-A contests this season.

2. Seattle 2B Robinson Cano needs three RBIs to reach 100 for the fourth time in his career.

3. Alonso is 4-for-7 over his last two games after collecting a total of four hits in his previous seven contests.

PREDICTION: Athletics 4, Mariners 2