Seattle @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 3, 2011 ) Seattle 0, Oakland 3

THE STORY: The Oakland Athletics had been one of the few teams the Seattle Mariners have beaten regularly this season. That isn’t happening this weekend as the American League West also-rans finish a three-game series. The Athletics are going for the sweep on Sunday after Brandon McCarthy pitched them to their second straight victory over the visiting Mariners on Saturday. McCarthy allowed just three hits and matched his career high of 10 strikeouts as the Seattle was blanked for the 13th time this season. The Mariners had just three hits, the ninth time this season they have managed just three or fewer hits. Oakland trails the season series 9-6 despite the back-to-back victories.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FSW ROOT (Seattle), CSCA (Oakland).

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Blake Beavan (3-4, 4.11 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Trevor Cahill (9-13, 4.26 ERA).

Beavan is winless over his last four starts despite giving up just three runs in each of his last two outings. He gave up three runs in seven innings while taking a no-decision against the Los Angeles Angels in his last start. Beavan defeated Oakland on Aug. 1 when he gave up three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. He has walked just 10 batters in 10 starts spanning 65 2/3 innings. Beavan has only 25 strikeouts.

Cahill is 0-4 over his last six starts and has lost eight of his last nine decisions. It has been a real disappointing stretch for the 2010 All-Star. Cahill allowed five runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings while losing to Cleveland in his last outing. When he opposed Beavan on Aug. 1, he was ripped for seven runs and 12 hits in four-plus innings. He is 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA in four starts this season against Seattle and is 2-4 with a 3.44 ERA in nine career outings. Ichiro Suzuki is batting .429 in 21 career at-bats against Cahill.

ABOUT THE ATHLETICS (63-76): Oakland has outscored opponents 19-2 during its three-game winning streak. Cliff Pennington had a two-run double on a 3-0 pitch in Saturday’s game and has eight RBIs over the last three games. Pennington has 15 RBIs over his last 10 games. Scott Sizemore homered for Oakland’s other run. Rookie Jemile Weeks extended his hitting streak to 11 games. Weeks, who has asserted himself as the team’s starting second baseman, is batting .370 during the stretch. Coco Crisp left Saturday’s game after fouling a ball off his right foot and won’t play Sunday. Cleanup hitter Josh Willingham has gone seven consecutive games without driving in a run.

ABOUT THE MARINERS (58-80): Seattle has scored just five runs during its three-game losing skid. Ichiro had one of Seattle’s three hits on Saturday and needs 42 hits in the final 24 games for his 11th straight 200-hit campaign. Ichiro is batting a career-low .274 after hitting over .300 in each of his first 10 seasons. Dustin Ackley and Josh Bard had the other hits off McCarthy. Rookie Kyle Seager went hitless for the third straight game and is 2-for-19 over the last six games. Seager batted .342 in August. Casper Wells is just 1-for-34 over the last 10 games. Wells is 3-for-6 in his career against Cahill.

FINAL PITCH: “I’m not a guy that tries to strike guys out or has unhittable stuff. I’m a guy that is going to give up hits and is going to give the defense lots of work.” – Beavan on being a control pitcher.