Bleday hits home run, Estes earns first win as A’s beat Mariners 8-1

SEATTLE (AP) — Rookie starter Joey Estes struck out five in five solid innings after being called up earlier in the day for his first major league win, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Seattle Mariners 8-1 on Saturday night.

Abraham Toro and Brent Rooker each hit a two-run third inning to give Oakland a 2-1 lead. Max Schuemann added a three-run double in the eighth and JJ Bleday had a two-run homer in the ninth as Oakland snapped a two-game losing streak. He has lost five of six after a six-game winning streak.

Estes took a liner on his right bicep from Julio Rodríguez in the first inning, but collected the ball for the throw at first and waved from the trainer as he resumed the mound.

“You knew he was locked up when Julio went off his biceps and I didn’t realize it,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “That kid, I don’t know how to really describe him. Take a road like that off your biceps and don’t let the trainers out, you don’t want to be recognized. He came into the dugout and we finally got to him and he was already swollen.”

Cal Raleigh hit his 10th home run, a solo shot in the second inning to give Seattle a 1-0 lead. But Estes settled down and it was all athletics after that.

The A’s starters allowed 55 runs in their last six games, including an 8-1 loss to the Mariners on Friday night, before Estes (1-0) was called up to replace fifth starter Joe Boyle (back injury ). He gave up two hits and walked none on 61 pitches.

“It’s great,” Estes said after tapping something in the shower room. “I’ve been working my whole life to be able to say I’ve won, so it’s definitely something I’ll cherish.”

Bryce Miller (3-3) struck out nine, allowing five hits, but started a costly third inning with one of his two walks to Lawrence Butler. The visual right fielder moved to second on Brett Harris’ single and scored on Toro’s single to right. Rooker’s shot to right to shallow scored Harris for the 2-1 lead.

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The Mariners have beaten the A’s in 13 of their last 14 since the start of the 2023 season. They have lost three of their last four and four of six. Seattle was 12-1 in Miller’s last 13 quality starts.

Relievers Mitch Spence, Austin Adams, Lucas Erceg and Michael Kelly combined to give up one hit over the final four innings. Seattle had just three hits and left just one runner on base.

“Coming into the series, Oakland is much improved,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “They have another ball club. They’ve tightened up their box and they’ve got guys who can put the ball in play.”

SCHUEMANN’S REVENGE

The Mariners intentionally walked Shea Langeliers to reach Schuemann in the eighth, loading the bases for the shortstop.

“I was a little upset, obviously,” Schuemann said. “I took it as a motivational thing. My first swing, I took as big a hack as I could, you know? And then I said, “Okay, I need to calm down.”

He then sent the ball into the left corner of the pitch to put the game out of reach.

THE GREAT BALL OF RALEIGH

Raleigh is the first AL catcher to hit 10 or more homers in his team’s first 40 games since the Yankees’ Jorge Posada in 2003. Three NL catchers have accomplished the feat in the same span.

ROSTER MOVEMENT

Optioned LHP Easton Lucas to Triple-A Las Vegas when they called up Estes for the start.

IT FOLLOWS

Athletics: LHP Alex Wood (1-2, 5.30) closes out the streak. He is 1-0 with a 1.72 ERA in his last three starts.

Mariners: RHP Luis Castillo (3-5, 3.54) is first in the AL and fourth in the majors with 56 strikeouts.

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