SEATTLE — Robinson Cano was doubly happy Tuesday night.
Seattle’s second baseman hit his 30th double of the season among his three hits in the Mariners’ 6-5 victory over the Oakland Athletics.
Cano joined some pretty impressive company as he became the first player to have at least 30 doubles in his first 11 seasons in the major leagues. The old mark was 10 by Albert Pujols.
He is the sixth player to do it for at least 11 consecutive seasons. The others are: Stan Musial (13), Honus Wagner (13), Tris Speaker (12), Joe Medwick (11) and Ed Delahanty (11). Cano is the 26th player, dating to 1901, with at least 11 seasons with 30 doubles.
“I feel blessed,” said Cano, who spent his first nine seasons with the New York Yankees. “It’s something that takes a lot of hard work, a lot of dedication and family and friends and people that support your career. Being able to accomplish that in my first 11 years, you have to be blessed.”
Logan Morrison, who had a two-run home run in the Mariners’ three-run fourth, added, “Everyone in this locker room is really, really lucky to play with someone like him. As far position players go, we all strive for that consistency. That’s just the model of consistency, 11 straight years of 30 doubles or more.”
Austin Jackson’s bases-loaded, two-run single in the fifth inning capped Seattle’s comeback from a five-run deficit.
Down 5-0 entering the fourth inning, Nelson Cruz started Seattle’s comeback with his major league-leading 38th home run, a solo shot off Jesse Chavez.
He extended his streak of reaching base safely to 35 straight games.
“Cruz’s homer kind of sparked us a little bit,” manager Lloyd McClendon said. “It picked us up and the guys just kept coming up with good at-bats.”
Morrison, on his 28th birthday, finished the rally with his 13th homer off the foul pole in right.
The Mariners added three runs in the fifth, one on Cano’s infield RBI single just off the glove of Chavez.
“If he (Chavez) either lets that go or comes up with it, we’re out of the inning,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said.
Jackson finished it with his two-out, go-ahead single that chased Chavez (7-13).
Chavez, who tied Cleveland’s Corey Kluber for the most losses in the American League, worked 4 2-3 innings, allowing eight hits and six runs. He walked two and struck out three. He is 0-5 in 15 career appearances against Seattle.
“That’s all on me today,” Chavez said. “That inning shouldn’t have happened. I let it snowball.”
Marcus Semien hit a two-run homer to highlight Oakland’s four-run second inning as the A’s chased Mike Montgomery, who lasted just 1 2-3 innings. Montgomery gave up five runs and seven hits in the shortest of his 16 big-league career starts.
Edgar Olmos (1-0), taking over for Montgomery with two outs in the second, earned his first big-league victory. He worked a career-best 3 2-3 innings and allowed three hits and no runs. His previous best was 1 2-3 innings.
Billy Burns had three hits for Oakland.
The A’s left at least one runner on base in every inning, 12 total.
Trainer’s room
Mariners: LHP Joe Beimel, placed on the DL on Aug. 21 with left shoulder inflammation, has begun playing catch. … LHP Charlie Furbush, out since July 9 with left biceps tendinitis, will seek a specialist in New York to treat him. … LHP James Paxton is expected to throw 65 to 70 pitches Friday in his second rehabilitation start for Triple-A Tacoma. He has been on the DL since May 29 with a strained middle finger.
Athletics: LHP Felix Doubront, who left Monday’s game after two innings with a right foot contusion after being hit by a line drive, was sore Tuesday. “We’ll see how he is tomorrow,” manager Bob Melvin said. “Then we’ll come up with some sort of game plan to see if he’s going to start or not.”
Up next
Mariners: RHP Felix Hernandez (14-8, 3.74) has been well below his standard over his past five starts, 2-3 with an 8.48 ERA. But he has had the A’s number for most of his career. In 39 career starts against Oakland, Hernandez is 20-8 with a 2.63 ERA. He has a 10-5 record at Safeco Field and a 2.63 ERA in 17 starts.
Athletics: Since he was recalled from Triple-A Nashville on July 25, RHP Chris Bassitt (1-5, 2.48) is 1-3 in six starts with a 2.18 ERA, the fifth-lowest in the AL during that span. He had worked at least six innings in all six starts, has walked just eight and struck out 36. He has received one run or less in six of his nine starts.
