No-hit into 8th, Mariners score 2 in 9th on wild pitches to sweep A’s

Jun 23, 2022, 4:16 PM | Updated: 4:41 pm

Seattle Mariners' Robbie Ray pitches against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, June 23, 2022. (AP Photo/John Hefti)

Oakland Athletics' Sheldon Neuse slides home to score against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, June 23, 2022. (AP Photo/John Hefti)

Seattle Mariners first baseman Ty France (23) leaves the field after he sustained an injury as Oakland Athletics' Sheldon Neuse, far left, reached first base on a single during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, June 23, 2022. (AP Photo/John Hefti)

Seattle Mariners first baseman Ty France, on ground, is attended to after he sustained an injury as Oakland Athletics' Sheldon Neuse. not seen, reached first base on a single during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, June 23, 2022. (AP Photo/John Hefti)

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez, center, reacts after Jesse Winker scored the go-ahead run against the Oakland Athletics during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, June 23, 2022. (AP Photo/John Hefti)

Seattle Mariners' Jesse Winker (27) reacts after scoring the go-ahead run against the Oakland Athletics during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, June 23, 2022. (AP Photo/John Hefti)

Seattle Mariners' Dylan Moore (25) scores on a wild pitch by Oakland Athletics' A.J. Puk (33) during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, June 23, 2022. (AP Photo/John Hefti)

Oakland Athletics' Frankie Montas pitches against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, June 23, 2022. (AP Photo/John Hefti)

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. – Oakland starter Frankie Montas took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning, then reliever A.J. Puk threw a pair of run-scoring wild pitches with two outs in the ninth that gave the Seattle Mariners a 2-1 win and three-game series sweep over the Athletics on Thursday.

Mariners 2, Athletics 1: Box score

The Mariners loaded the bases with three walks and rallied on Puk’s wayward tosses to complete a three-game sweep. Seattle won with two hits, both in the eighth.

We'll take it! pic.twitter.com/KkoCysuhN1

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) June 23, 2022

Before the wild ninth, it seemed the 29-year-old Montas would be the story of the day.

Montas didn’t allow a hit until Adam Frazier lined a clean single to left field with two outs in the eighth. Montas gave up another hit and was pulled after the inning.

Montas struck out eight in a season-high eight innings, and exited with a 1-0 lead — he has received either one or zero runs of support in 11 of his 15 starts. He is expected to be among the starting pitchers available as the Aug. 2 trade deadline approaches.

With regular closer Dany Jimenez out with a shoulder injury, Zach Jackson (1-2) entered for the ninth and walked two before Puk entered with two outs and two on.

Puk walked pinch-hitter Kevin Padloa to load the bases before throwing wild pitches that Dylan Moore and Jesse Winker score.

Paul Sewald retired the A’s in order in the bottom of the ninth for his fifth save. The Mariners have won 11 of their past 12 at the Oakland Coliseum.

The A’s are 3-16 in June and have the AL’s worst record at 23-48.

Seattle ace Robbie Ray limited the A’s to four hits and struck out six over six innings. Oakland scored in the first when Christian Bethancourt hit an RBI single to snap a 0-for-12 slump.

Reliever Diego Castillo (4-1) got the win.

Mariners first baseman Ty France, enjoying an All-Star caliber first half of the season, left the game in the bottom of the fifth when he collided with Oakland’s Sheldon Neuse while taking a throw at the bag.

M’s Takeaways: France injury update, keys to sweep

France’s left hand bent back and his glove came off as he made contact with Neuse, causing France to fall to the ground in pain.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: Seattle announced that C Tom Murphy (dislocated left shoulder) will have surgery and miss the rest of the season. He’s been sidelined since getting injured May 7 on a play at the plate. “He tried to do everything he could to get back,” manager Scott Servais said. “He did a PRP injection, he did a number of different treatments to try to get it back and going. It just wasn’t taking.”

Athletics: OF Stephen Piscotty (strained left calf) will play a third rehab game Friday for Triple-A Las Vegas. Manager Mark Kotsay said reports have been good but did not give a timetable for Piscotty’s return to the active roster.

ROSTER MOVE

The A’s activated LHP Sam Moll from the COVID-19 list. RHP Domingo Tapia, who threw 2 1/3 innings of relief Wednesday night, was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas.

UP NEXT

RHP Chris Flexen (2-8, 4.23) takes the ball for Seattle in Friday’s series opener in Anaheim against the Angels. The A’s begin a 10-game road trip at Kansas City with LHP Cole Irvin (2-4, 3.14) on the mound.

Dipoto: What the Mariners’ intentions for trade deadline will be