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 "My mindset was to tack on more runs," shortstop Marcus Semien said
after hitting a two-run homer as the A's jumped on top of the
Seattle Mariners 5-0 Tuesday. "Unfortunately, it didn't happen."
One night after coming back from a 5-0 deficit, the A's were on the
other side of that equation in a 6-5 loss to the Mariners. Seattle
rallied to score six times in the fourth and fifth to earn the
comeback win on this night.
"It didn't look good early," Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said.
Home runs by designated hitter Nelson Cruz, hit 38th of the season,
and first baseman Logan Morrison sparked the turnaround after
Seattle starter Mike Montgomery struggled through the shortest
outing of his young career.
Montgomery lasted just 1 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on seven
hits, but he did not factor into the decision. It marked the first
time in his past nine starts that Seattle (58-68) won the game.
Mariners left-hander Edgar Olmos (1-0) earned his first career win
after pitching 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Olmos came on for
Montgomery in the second inning and allowed just three hits while
pitching through the fifth.
Tom Wilhelmsen entered in the ninth and gave up a two-out double to
pinch hitter Sam Fuld before Oakland right fielder Josh Reddick
flied out to right to end the game.
Oakland starter Jesse Chavez (7-13) allowed six runs on eight hits
over 4 2/3 innings.
"After a good start, and a big lead, he just couldn't hold them
down," manager Bob Melvin said of Chavez.
The A's right-hander was most upset by a fifth-inning infield single
from Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano that kept the inning
alive after Chavez tried to make a stab at the hard-hit grounder.
"I've got to let that ball go," Chavez said. "That's all on me
today. I should've gotten out of that inning."
Chavez walked the next batter before Seattle center fielder Austin
Jackson delivered the go-ahead hit with a bases-loaded single,
driving in a pair of runs.
Center fielder Billy Burns went 3-for-5 and scored twice for the A's
(55-72). Semien hit his 11th home run of the season, and his third
in four games at Safeco Field this year.
Seattle rookie shortstop Ketel Marte went 3-for-5, finishing a home
run short of the cycle. He doubled in the first inning, hit his
first career triple in the sixth and added a bloop single in the
eighth.
Five of the Mariners' six runs came with two outs.
The A's, who outscored Seattle 11-0 over the final five innings
Monday, picked up right where they left off while jumping out to a
5-0 lead Tuesday. A two-run homer from Semien highlighted a four-run
second inning.
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After catcher Josh Phegley gave the A's a 1-0 lead with an RBI
single in the first, Oakland opened the second inning with five hits
to put an early end to Montgomery's night. Semien's blast, an RBI
double from right fielder Josh Reddick and third baseman Danny
Valencia's sacrifice fly gave Oakland a 5-0 advantage.
Seattle got back in the game with the three-run fourth. Cruz
provided the Mariners' first run of the game with a leadoff shot.
After Jackson contributed a two-out double off the wall, Morrison
took Chavez deep for a two-run shot off the right field foul pole,
pulling Seattle within 5-3.
In the fifth, Cano's infield single cut Oakland's lead to 5-4 before
Jackson put the Mariners in front.
Seattle's bullpen -- Olmos, Logan Kensing, Carson Smith and
Wilhelmsen -- threw 7 2/3 scoreless innings to finish off the win.
"Just a tremendous job," McClendon said. "They really saved us
today."
NOTES: Nelson Cruz was in the lineup as Seattle's designated hitter
after taking a pitch off his right elbow the previous night. Cruz
was able to finish Monday's game and apparently came out of it with
nothing more than a bruise. ... The game was paused for a minute or
so in the seventh inning after Cano recorded his 30th double of the
season. He became the first player in major league history to record
30 doubles in 11 consecutive seasons to begin a career. ... The
Athletics plan to re-evaluate LHP Felix Doubront's injured right
foot Wednesday. He took a line drive off the arch of his foot in
Monday's win at Seattle. ... Athletics 2B Brett Lawrie played
despite being visibly shaken by a pregame incident involving his
grandmother near the visiting dugout. About an hour before the game,
she passed out on the field and had to be taken off on a stretcher.
Lawrie, who broke down on the field and had to be consoled by his
sister and fiancee, did not want to talk about the episode after the
game.
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