OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Chone Figgins finished a home run short of the cycle and every Seattle Mariners batter had a hit, backing a shaky start from ace Felix Hernandez to beat the Oakland Athletics 8-7 on Saturday night.
Figgins’ two-run double off Bartolo Colon (1-1) highlighted a six-run fourth-inning — helped by a center fielder Yoenis Cespedes misplaying a ball — to give Seattle a 7-0 lead.
Cespedes atoned for his mistake with a three-run homer against reliever Steve Delabar, the third long ball in four games by the powerful Cuban defector.
Hernandez (1-0) gave up six runs on eight hits in 6 1-3 innings, striking out seven and walking one. Brandon League pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save this season.