OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) George Kirby had nine strikeouts in five innings for his first win in nearly a month, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 4-3 on Tuesday night.

Josh Rojas had three hits, Luke Raley added two hits and an RBI, and Ty France drove in a pair of runs to keep the AL West-leading Mariners rolling on manager Scott Servaisā€™ 57th birthday.

Coming off a 6-1 homestand, Seattle has won four straight and eight of nine.

ā€œI feel like weā€™re starting to hit a stride but we still got so much room to do better,ā€ Kirby said. ā€œWeā€™re pitching well, weā€™re hitting well. Weā€™ve got a good team. Itā€™s about time.ā€

Abraham Toro had an RBI single and JJ Bleday singled twice for Oakland. The Aā€™s have lost five of six.

The game drew another low crowd of 5,624 to the Coliseum. Not far away, the Oakland Ballers attracted a sellout crowd of more than 4,200. The Ballers are an independent minor league club in the Pioneer League that was formed in response to the Aā€™s announced intention to relocate to Las Vegas.

Kirby (5-5), who had two losses and a no-decision in his previous three starts, was mostly sharp against the Aā€™s. He allowed six hits and two runs with one walk.

The Mariners right-hander has been one of baseballā€™s most efficient strike throwers this season. The walk was only the seventh in 73 1/3 innings that Kirby has allowed this season.

ā€œI thought Georgeā€™s stuff was really good.ā€ Servais said. ā€œThere were just no easy outs. They were fouling balls off, created some traffic against him. He made some huge pitches to get out of it.ā€

Three Mariners relievers each pitched a scoreless inning after Kirby left. AndrƩs MuƱoz allowed a run in the ninth on a wild pitch before leaving with back soreness. Tayler Saucedo retired Brent Rooker on a comebacker for the final out and his second save.

ā€œTheir pitching staff is one of the better pitching staffs in the league,ā€ Aā€™s manager Mark Kotsay said. ā€œI thought we did a pretty darn good job against Kirby. But at the end of the day we couldnā€™t get the big hit.ā€

The Mariners got to Aā€™s starter Mitch Spence (4-3) for four doubles and three runs in the third. France drove in two runs, then scored on Raleyā€™s double.

After the Aā€™s reached Kirby for a run in the bottom of the inning - the first run allowed by a Mariners starter in four games - Rojas beat out a two-out infield single to drive in Dylan Moore.

ā€œI do think our offense is starting to roll a little bit,ā€ Servais said. ā€œ On road trips, no matter where youā€™re at, you need multiple guys to contribute. Thatā€™s whatā€™s going on right now.ā€

Spence allowed nine hits and four runs in six innings.

Before the game, the Mariners announced the signing of free agent outfielder Victor Robles.

TRAINERā€™S ROOM

Mariners: INF Luis Urias cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma.

Athletics: RHP Paul Blackburn (stress reaction right foot) was transferred to the 60-day Injured List amid a flurry of moves that the Aā€™s made in reaction to Michael Kellyā€™s suspension. ā€¦ LHP Lucas Erceg (strained right forearm) has began playing catch and could throw a full bullpen session as early as Sunday, according to Kotsay. LHP Sean Newcomb was reinstated from the 60-day IL. RHP Vinny Nittoli was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas. ā€¦ RHP Aaron Brooks was outrighted to Las Vegas after being designated for assignment Sunday.

UP NEXT

Mariners RHP Logan Gilbert (3-3, 3.29 ERA) faces Oakland on Wednesday. Gilbert has 41 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings against the Aā€™s. Oakland counters with RHP Joey Estes (1-1, 6.10), who has a win and loss in two career starts against Seattle. ---

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