OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Shea Langeliers led off the ninth inning with his second home run of the game and first career walkoff hit, lifting the Oakland Athletics over the Seattle Mariners 5-4 on Monday.
Langeliers connected on a 3-2 sweeper from Austin Voth (2-5) and kept the ball just fair inside the left-field foul pole to cheers from fans among the 12,167 in the Labor Day crowd at the Coliseum.
“I was just hoping it was going to stay fair and kind of just walking out of the box watching it it stayed true,” Langeliers said. “In that moment I didn't really know what to do. Just full of excitement. Running around the bases you feel like a little kid.”
Tyler Ferguson (3-2) struck out the side in order in the ninth for the victory.
The A's (60-78) matched their wins total of 2022 — 10 more than last year's finish at 50-112.
Langeliers hit a three-run homer in the fourth for Oakland, returning home from a six-game trip in which it lost three of the last four.
A's manager Mark Kotsay watched third base coach Eric Martins to see whether Langeliers' game-winner would stay fair.
“Ultimately I was thinking through preparation for the 10th inning and looked up. I heard the sound and said, ‘Ooh, where’d it go?' And then I said, ‘Please stay fair,’” Kotsay said.
Langeliers has a career-high 25 home runs. He joined Terry Steinbach (1996) and Gene Tenace (1974, ‘75) as A’s catchers with at least 25 home runs in a season. Steinbach is the only one with 30, hitting 35 that year.
“For sure, it's definitely a goal,” Langeliers said of reaching 30 homers.
Seattle's Justin Turner and Jorge Polanco drew consecutive one-out walks from Michel Otañez in the eighth and Leo Rivas ran for Turner.
Rivas took off as Dylan Moore struck out and third baseman Tristan Gray lunged left and swiped his left glove over the runner sliding headfirst. Rivas was called out by umpire Todd Tichenor but the call was reversed in a video review.
Justin Turner hit a tying RBI single in the sixth that chased A's starter Osvaldo Bido. T.J. McFarland relieved and recorded the final two outs around a walk to pinch-hitter Mitch Garver.
Cal Raleigh hit a two-run homer in the first inning to put Seattle ahead and Julio Rodríguez added a sacrifice fly in the third.
Seattle lost its third straight after dropping the final two to the Angels and considers this a key four-game set in their final visit to Oakland.
“This is a team that’s had a good second half and we all know that, we were prepared," manager Dan Wilson said. "Again, the effort was there. It was a great fight and it’s a tough one but tomorrow’s another day.”
Mariners starter Logan Gilbert allowed four runs on four hits, struck out nine and walked one over six innings. But the right-hander missed becoming the 19th player in team history with 40 wins in a Seattle uniform.
Bido settled for a second straight no-decision and still has his career-best three-game winning streak intact. The right-hander had been 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA over his previous four starts.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Athletics: LHP Scott Alexander threw to hitters as he works back from rotator cuff tendinitis in his pitching shoulder. 1B/C Tyler Soderstrom (bone bruise on his left wrist) was one of the hitters and is scheduled to hit on the field Tuesday before leaving Wednesday to possibly begin a rehab assignment. ... RHP Austin Adams (forearm tendinitis on pitching arm) is set to throw bullpen sessions Tuesday and Friday ahead of a potential rehab outing, and the A's remain hopeful he will return by season's end.
UP NEXT
RHP Luis Castillo (11-12, 3.65 ERA) takes the mound Tuesday for the Mariners. RHP J.T. Ginn (0-0, 5.19 ERA) tries again for his first big league victory after making his major league debut for the Athletics on Aug. 21 against Tampa Bay.
