OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Brett Anderson initially looked a little lost covering first base to take a throw from shortstop Marcus Semien on the back end of a 3-6-1 double play, taking several stabs at the bag with his foot.
Like most everything these days for the Oakland Athletics, it ultimately worked out just fine.
Matt Chapman homered for the second consecutive day, Josh Phegley also went deep and had three RBIs, and the streaking A’s won their ninth straight, beating the Seattle Mariners 7-1 to complete a three-game sweep Sunday.
“We’re playing good defense, we’re getting timely hits, we’re getting good pitching, bullpen, the whole bit,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. “Everybody’s picking each other up a little bit better in the different facets than earlier in the year.”
Anderson allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings to win after being forced out of his previous start with a cervical strain. Anderson (6-3) struck out four and walked four, but got the Mariners to hit into double plays in three straight innings.
The first double play was capped by Anderson, even though it took him a few seconds to find the bag with his foot.
“I got over there and didn’t really know where the base was,” Anderson said. “I felt like I had like a hot foot. I was kind of tap-dancing around the base. Luckily I was able to finally get a foot on it.”
The A’s streak is their longest of the season but comes with a caveat. Their game against Detroit on May 19 was suspended due to bad weather and won’t be resumed until Sept. 6. Oakland has won six consecutive games since the postponement.
Seattle’s Jay Bruce hit his 300th career double in the second then hit his 299th homer in the seventh. Bruce needs one more home run to become the eighth active player with 300 doubles and 300 home runs.
The Mariners finished winless on their six-game road trip, the franchise’s worst since going 0-7 from July 26-Aug. 1, 2010.
“It was a bad road trip,” manager Scott Servais said. “All different games. Some we didn’t pitch well, defense not that good, or not getting hits. When that happens you can’t put a good game together.”
Seattle’s frustrations boiled over in the seventh inning when Servais was ejected. Servais had called for a replay after Mark Canha’s hard slide into second base upended shortstop J.P. Crawford and prevented a throw to first. Umpires conferred for several moments then went to replay before upholding the call.
Servais came out of the Mariners dugout and argued with crew chief Mike Everitt for several moments before getting tossed. Servais continued to argue until bench coach Manny Acta came out and escorted him off the field.
“Clearly J.P. got taken out on the play,” Servais said. “He couldn’t finish the play. They thought differently in New York than what I thought. When you argue replay it’s not going to go well.”
Chapman homered off Mike Leake (3-6) in the first, a liner to right-center. Chapman leads Oakland with 13 home runs.
Phegley homered in the second then added a two-run double in the seventh. Both hits came with two outs. Phegley has six home runs in 41 games this season hitting five in 96 games over the previous two seasons.
“I’ve been fortunate that guys are on base a lot when I’m up there,” Phegley said. “When I get a hit guys are scoring. I tip my cap to the rest of the team for setting the table for me like that.”
Leake allowed five runs in 6 2/3 innings. He allowed four hits and retired 13 straight before the A’s scored twice in the seventh. Leake has won win in his last nine starts.
