A's host Mariners in battle of injury-ravaged clubs (May 23, 2018)
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Two teams suddenly engulfed in injuries will put short-handed lineups on the field once again Wednesday night when the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics continue their three-game series.
Pitchers took advantage of the band-aid lineups in the series opener Tuesday, with the Mariners overcoming yet another injury when Guillermo Heredia doubled home the tiebreaking run in a 3-2, 10-inning victory.
The clutch hit came six innings after the Mariners' Mitch Haniger had to leave the game after having been hit by a Trevor Cahill pitch in the left elbow.
The clubs combined for 13 hits with the A's missing their top power source in Khris Davis, who sustained a groin injury Sunday in Toronto.
After viewing an MRI, the A's elected not to place Davis on the disabled list, but his availability for this week's six home games remains in question.
The Mariners chose not to be as patient with sparkplug Dee Gordon, who landed on the DL with a fractured big toe on his right foot.
Gordon had attempted to play through the injury, which occurred during an at-bat May 9, but Mariners manager Scott Servais decided that some time off would be best for the .304 hitter.
"He knows he's not right," Servais explained, acknowledging that Gordon was not in total agreement with the decision. "It even started affecting him in the batter's box a little bit with his swing. So let's get out ahead of this thing.
"He tried to play through it as long as he could, but it just wasn't working."
Gordon joined injured Nelson Cruz and suspended Robinson Cano on the sidelines. That became a quartet by midgame Tuesday with the loss of Haniger, who had been promoted to No. 3 in the lineup by attrition.
Without four of their top bats, the Mariners managed six hits off four A's pitchers Tuesday. Fortunately for Seattle, one was a two-run homer by catcher Mike Zunino, which was enough to keep the visitors even until Heredia's heroics.
Perhaps fittingly, the A's will have to settle for an injury-replacement starting pitcher Wednesday when Daniel Gossett makes his third start of the season.
He has been summoned from Triple-A Nashville, where he was 4-0, to sub for fellow right-hander Andrew Triggs, who experienced nerve irritation in his pitching arm during his last start in Toronto.
Gossett (0-1, 11.05) has struggled in his career against the Mariners, going 0-3 with a 9.49 ERA in three career starts.
He's allowed six home runs and 18 total hits in 12 1/3 innings against the Mariners. Included in the homers were a pair by Haniger and a three-run shot by Zunino.
Gossett will be opposed by Mariners left-hander Marco Gonzales (3-3, 4.66).
The 26-year-old has never pitched in Oakland. He didn't get a decision in a 10-8 win over the A's in Seattle in April, allowing four runs in 3 1/3 innings.
He's faced the A's twice in his career, once in relief, with a 0-0 record and 4.91 ERA.
