May 7, 2019; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Mike Fiers (50) pitches for a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds during the ninth inning at Oakland Coliseum. Photo Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
Mike Fiers isn’t putting any heavy expectations on the start that follows the second no-hitter of his career.
The Oakland right-hander will be happy with keeping his team in the game when the Athletics visit the Seattle Mariners on Monday in the opener of a two-game set.
“It’s a great moment, you want to enjoy it,” the 33-year-old Fiers told reporters while reflecting on Tuesday’s no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds. “At the same time, you have to get ready for (Monday). Seattle is a divisional team, I need to put up a quality start and give us a chance to win.”
Fiers, who is 3-3 with a 5.48 ERA, had his start pushed back a day after throwing 131 pitches during the no-hitter. He snapped a five-start winless stretch with the superb outing in which he struck out six and walked two.
Only Johnny Vander Meer in 1938 for the Reds has thrown back-to-back no-hitters. Fiers’ no-hitter against Cincinnati was historic in that it was the 300th in major league history.
“There could’ve been 10 hits that night,” Fiers said. “Balls are hit at people. People make plays. In baseball, you never know.
“There are balls that are hit off the end of the bat that become hits. There are balls that are hit 110 (mph) that are outs.”
Fiers’ first no-hitter came in 2015 when he was a member of the Houston Astros. He struck out 10 and walked three while handcuffing the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In his follow-up start, he defeated the Minnesota Twins as he allowed one run and three hits over six innings.
Fiers hopes to perform better against the Mariners than he did when he faced them in Tokyo on March 20. He gave up five runs and four hits in three innings while taking the loss.
Overall, Fiers is 2-2 with a 6.91 ERA in nine career starts against Seattle.
The Mariners have dropped four straight games and 12 of their past 14.
They suffered a three-game weekend sweep in Boston in which they were outscored 34-8. The setbacks were by 14-1, 9-5 and 11-2.
“Obviously, not a good series for us,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said after Sunday’s nine-run loss. “Rough road trip. We’ve got to get back home and kind of regroup and go from there.”
The Mariners’ strong 13-2 start is just a distant memory. Seattle is 20-23 entering the series with the Athletics.
Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (2-1, 3.54) will be on the mound. The native of Japan has been superb in each of his past two outings.
Kikuchi struck out a season-high 10 against the Cleveland Indians on May 3 when he gave up one run and three hits over seven innings in a no-decision. He followed that outing by allowing one run and three hits over a season-long 7 2/3 innings while beating the New York Yankees last Wednesday.
Kikuchi gave up two runs (one earned) and four hits in 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision when he started against Oakland in Tokyo on March 21.
The Athletics are beginning a nine-game road trip after going 4-2 on a six-game homestand. Oakland dropped a 5-3 decision to the Cleveland Indians on Sunday.
Khris Davis was back in the lineup as the designated hitter after missing three straight games due to a hip injury. Davis went 2-for-4.
Davis has hit 21 homers against Seattle pitching despite batting just .197 in 203 at-bats.
