SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners' historical slide reached a new low — permitting something that had happened only one other time in 106 years.

Kurt Suzuki, a Baldwin High alum from Maui, hit his first career grand slam and Dan Johnson also hit one as the Oakland Athletics beat sinking Seattle, 9-3, last night.

It was the second time in their 106-year history the Athletics had two slams in one game. Oakland had only three in their first 144 games this season.

"We love home runs," said manager Bob Geren, whose team won for just the second time in six games on its road trip. "Two of them for eight runs? You can't do much better than that."

Mariners starter Horacio Ramirez allowed five runs in 1 2/3 innings as Seattle lost for the 14th time in 16 games, among the worst falls by a contending team in September over the last half-century.

The Mariners are 5 1/2 games behind the wild card-leading New York Yankees and 8 1/2 behind the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West with 20 games remaining. On Aug. 26, they were leading the wild-card race by two games and were just one game behind the Angels.

"As long as there is a possibility, you always work for the playoffs," All-Star Ichiro Suzuki said through an interpreter.

Oakland's Joe Blanton (13-9) allowed two runs and eight hits over seven innings.

Blanton won for the fifth time in six decisions — but for the first time in four starts against Seattle.

In the second, Ramirez gave up a single to Mark Ellis and walked Johnson — who was batting .163 since July 3. Then Jack Hannahan, 3 for 16 (.188) on the road trip and a minor leaguer until last month, singled home Ellis.

Ramirez (8-6) walked Daric Barton on a full count to load the bases. Kurt Suzuki, the No. 9 hitter, drove Ramirez's second pitch off a cement wall deep in the A's bullpen. That put Oakland ahead 5-0.

"When I do get one, I'm not sure if it's gone," Suzuki said.

Jose Guillen hit his 20th home run in the eighth off Alan Embree to bring Seattle within 5-3. Johnson hit his third career grand slam in the ninth off Ryan Rowland-Smith.