Gonzales opens crucial series in Oakland
(MLB.com Seattle Mariners)

The Mariners open a crucial three-game series in Oakland tonight at 7:05 PT with Marco Gonzales (12-7, 3.79 ERA) facing lefty Sean Manaea (10-8, 3.50) as Seattle tries to close the gap on the A`s in the AL Wild Card chase. Gonzales has lost his last two starts -- after winning five in a row -- and gave up 12 hits and seven runs in five innings in his last outing at Texas. But the 26-year-old lefty shut out the A`s on two hits over seven innings in May in Oakland in one of his best starts of the year.