Four-Homer Inning Powers Athletics Past Mariners 7-6

What happened

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The Athletics packed four home runs into a five-run third inning, then relied on Zack Gelof again after Seattle answered, beating the Mariners 7-6 on Friday night. The Associated Press reports that Gelof capped the third-inning barrage with his 17th homer of the season and later drove in the decisive run with a fifth-inning triple.

Seattle had taken a 2-0 lead before Max Muncy opened the third with a first-pitch line drive that stayed fair over the left-field wall. Alika Williams followed with another solo shot after one out. Henry Bolte walked, Jeff McNeil hit a two-run homer to right, and Gelof went deep to left, turning the deficit into a 5-2 Athletics advantage in a sudden burst.

The inning placed the Athletics in rare company. According to the AP account, they became only the second major league team this season to hit four home runs in one inning. Cincinnati previously achieved the feat in the fourth inning of an 11-5 win against Philadelphia on July 8.

Seattle responded immediately rather than letting the game get away. The Mariners scored three times in the bottom of the third, with Cal Raleigh's two-run homer tying the score at 5-5. Raleigh's blast was his 21st of the season and his eighth across a 13-game stretch, continuing a productive run even though Seattle could not complete the comeback.

Turning point

The Athletics reclaimed control in the fifth. Williams drew a walk, stole second and scored when Gelof tripled, giving Gelof the hit that ultimately separated the teams. Lawrence Butler followed with an RBI single for a 7-5 lead. Seattle pulled within one when Josh Naylor delivered an RBI single in the eighth, but the Mariners could not find the tying run.

Brady Basso earned the victory after replacing starter Kade Morris with two outs in Seattle's three-run third. Basso worked three scoreless innings for the third win of his major league career. Hogan Harris protected the one-run margin in the ninth and recorded his 15th save. Muncy finished with three hits as the Athletics won a third consecutive game for the first time since early June.

Why it matters

The defeat deepened Seattle's challenge in both the division and wild-card races. The Mariners fell to 66-76, seven games behind Houston in the American League West and six games behind Cleveland for the final AL wild-card place. Starter Logan Gilbert struck out 10 and reached 1,000 career innings with Seattle, but he was charged with all seven Athletics runs over 4 2/3 innings and took the loss.

What to watch

The series continues Saturday with Seattle scheduled to start right-hander George Kirby, who enters at 9-10 with a 4.19 ERA. The Athletics are set to counter with left-hander Jeffrey Springs, who is 3-13 with a 6.37 ERA. After an unusually concentrated display of power produced one win, the Athletics will try to extend their longest winning streak in three months.