Gutierrez likely done for season

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Franklin Gutierrez's year just took another turn for the worse. The 28-year-old center fielder is likely finished for the season.

Dustin Ackley and Luis Rodriguez each drove in two runs for the Seattle Mariners, but the Oakland Athletics completed a three-game sweep with an 8-5 win Sunday.

Gutierrez departed in the eighth inning with a severe left oblique strain. He grabbed his left side after a swing and miss and needed help off the field.

"He's been swinging the bat much better the last month or so," Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. "There's a pretty good chance he's done for the year. If he is done, he can take the past month with him into the offseason and to spring training."

Gutierrez, a .256 lifetime hitter, struggled for most of the season after missing the first 41 games with a stomach ailment. He was hitting .282 over his past 33 games and had raised his average to .222.

"It's been a tough go for him," Wedge said. "But lately he's been very productive."

Mariners outfielder Casper Wells also left the game with a bruised left elbow after getting hit by a pitch in the second inning. Wedge said he will be re-evaluated today.

Blake Beavan (3-5) pitched five innings for Seattle and was charged with four runs and seven hits. The rookie right-hander is 0-3 with a 6.44 ERA in his last five starts.

"I just tried to keep the same mindset of attacking the hitters," Beavan said. "If I try to be too fine, that's when I get into trouble. Everything they got, they earned."

Trevor Cahill (10-13) allowed a run and five hits over five innings to improve to 1-4 with a 6.46 ERA over his last seven starts. Andrew Bailey pitched the ninth for his 19th save in 21 chances.

Ackley hit a two-run homer and Ichiro Suzuki drove in a run for the Mariners, who have dropped four straight games. Rodriguez added a two-run single.

Hideki Matsui is hitting .343 (62 for 181) since the All Star break. He hit .209 leading up to the break. The three doubles tied a single-game Oakland record.

"He didn't miss anything," Beavan said.

Kurt Suzuki's RBI single in the second gave the A's the early edge. DeJesus added a sacrifice fly in the third and a run-scoring single in the fifth. Brandon Allen also drove in a run in the fifth.

Ichiro Suzuki hit an RBI single in the fifth for the Mariners' first run. Ackley hit his sixth homer with two outs in the seventh to make it 4-3.

The Athletics responded with four runs in the bottom half. Sweeney hit a two-run triple and Willingham had a sacrifice fly.

Rodriguez's hit made it 8-5 in the eighth before Bailey closed it out.

NOTES: Mariners RHP Dan Cortes is expected to make a rehab appearance with Triple-A Tacoma today, then join the team at home later in the week.