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SEATTLE — The Oakland A’s enter the All-Star break as one of the hottest teams in baseball.

Oakland knocked around Mariners opener Matt Carasiti and didn’t stop when Wade LeBlanc entered, putting up a five spot in the first and adding another run the next inning on Marcus Semien’s 14th home run of the season. The 7-4 win Sunday clinched a series win in Seattle to close the first half and was the A’s 50th win entering the break.

If you’re feeling a sense of deja vu, it’s not just you.

“It’s a trip,” third baseman Matt Chapman said.

Chapman was named to the Home Run Derby before Sunday’s first-half finale and learned last week he would be an All-Star for the first time.

But that’s not what he was talking about.

Battling through injuries and adversity, the A’s took a 36-36 record into the 73rd game of the season, June 16. Since then, Oakland is tied with the Yankees and Cleveland for the best record in the American League at 14-5.

The A’s also took a 36-36 record into their 73rd game of last season, then posted the best record in baseball for the remainder of the season and clinched a wild-card berth with 97 wins.

Chapman thinks this year the division is still within reach.

“Nobody ever predicted us to run away with anything,” Chapman said. “But to be right where we’re at right now is perfect. Being able to play games that matter late in the season is what it’s all about.”

The A’s (50-41) have already closed the gap with the first-place Astros (57-33) by five games since June 16, and reinforcements are on the way. Sean Manaea begins his rehab assignment from shoulder surgery on Monday, and Jharel Cotton, A.J. Puk and Jesus Luzardo aren’t far behind.

“It could mean a lot,” Melvin said. “I don’t count on any of that now because I’ve been disappointed a couple times this year when you do start to count on that. So you kind of have to press forward with the guys you do have and if you get somebody back, it’s just a bonus.”

Chapman and others in the clubhouse sense the similarities between this year’s squad and last year’s. Melvin, however, rejected the notion of comparing the two.

“It’s had a completely different feel this year than last year,” he said. “The numbers add up to the same at this point, but it’s just a different season. The one thing we’ve had again is contributions from more than 25 guys. When somebody goes down, somebody gets an opportunity and for the most part does the job.”

Whether these A’s can continue to replicate last season’s success in the second half is to be determined, but their first stretch of games out of the All-Star break could provide an answer — or at least a clue.

The A’s begin the second with five games against the White Sox and Mariners, but following that is a stretch of 10 games against the AL Central-leading Twins and two teams they’re battling in the AL West, the first-place Astros and third-place Rangers, whom Oakland overtook at the start of July.

“You do whatever it takes to win at this time of the year,” Chapman said. “Playing in the wild-card game and all those things help give you confidence and experience like, hey, I’ve been here before and I know what to do.” Related Articles Why the A’s strong bullpen could be biggest advantage in postseason

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Ramón Laureano late homer hands A’s win in LA against Dodgers

–Matt Olson plated the A’s first three runs of the game on a 434-foot blast into the right field seats, his 19th home run of the season. He’s left the yard eight times in his past 15 games, including each of the past two. He takes a seven-game hitting streak into the All-Star break.

–Ramon Laureano also homered for the second straight game, his 16th of the season, hooking a ball not-quite-around the left-field foul pole. Replay appeared to show the ball go foul, but umpires ruled it a home run after review, anyway.

–The Mariners weren’t able to do much against starting pitcher Daniel Mengden. Three hard hits — an Omar Narvaez home run, Dee Gordon triple and Domingo Santana double — amounted to nearly all their offense, three runs scattered across 5 ⅓ innings. All-Star Liam Hendriks closed the door in the ninth for his fifth save.

–Chapman was out of the lineup Sunday, but it was a scheduled day of rest, Melvin said. Mark Cahna also returned to the lineup after being scratched with tightness in his back on Saturday.