Seattle bullpen lets down again as Oakland gets 10th inning homer
By JOSH LIEBESKIND, Associated Press
Published: April 10, 2016, 4:48pm
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Oakland Athletics' Coco Crisp, left, is congratulated at home by Chris Coghlan after hitting a solo home run on a pitch from Seattle Mariners' Nick Vincent during the 10th inning of a baseball game, Sunday, April 10, 2016, in Seattle. The Athletics won 2-1. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
SEATTLE — Felix Hernandez was his dominant self Sunday, and Seattle’s hitters couldn’t get him a win.
More of the same for the Mariners ace.
Hernandez struck out 10 over seven scoreless innings, but Seattle’s bullpen allowed two solo homers and the Oakland Athletics got a 2-1, 10-inning victory over the struggling Mariners to sweep a three-game series.
This was the 90th time since 2009 that Hernandez allowed one run or fewer over at least seven innings — the most in the majors. In those games, he has 26 no decisions, and Seattle has dropped 19 of those contests.
He allowed just three hits and two walks in his latest wasted gem.
“We’ve got to do more offensively,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Our pitching has done a very nice job, I’m happy where we’re at bullpen-wise. We’re just not getting it done with the bats right now.”
Marcus Semien tied the game after Hernandez exited, greeting Joel Peralta with a home run to left to lead off the eighth. Then Coco Crisp hit a homer in the 10th off Nick Vincent (1-1).
“Felix comes out of the game and you almost feel like there’s momentum that’s in your dugout just by the fact that he’s out of the game,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said.
John Axford (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth and Sean Doolittle struck out two in the 10th to earn his first save.
Chris Bassitt allowed one unearned run in seven innings for Oakland. The right-hander allowed three hits, struck out four and walked five.
The A’s had a runner reach second base twice in the first three innings, but Hernandez kept them from pushing a run across. He got Stephen Vogt to swing and miss in the third to end a bases-loaded threat and only allowed one more baserunner the rest of the way, retiring the final 10 batters he faced.
“Yeah, it came easier after that,” Hernandez said. “Just gotta make good pitches and get out of that inning. After that it was just throwing strikes and getting outs.”
The Mariners took a 1-0 lead in the sixth. Nelson Cruz doubled with one out and moved to third on a groundball. Jed Lowrie misplayed a grounder by Ketel Marte and Cruz scored.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Oakland: RHP Henderson Alvarez (shoulder) did not make his rehab appearance Sunday as scheduled for Class A Stockton due to inclement weather and will pitch Monday instead. … INF Eric Sogard (neck) will begin his rehab assignment with Stockton on Monday and work out with Oakland on Tuesday before joining Triple-A Nashville.
Seattle: Manager Scott Servais said relief pitcher Mike Montgomery wasn’t ready to pitch multiple days in a row. Montgomery has transitioned from the starting rotation to the bullpen.
HONORING HUSKIES
The University of Washington women’s basketball team was honored and given a standing ovation during the game for its run to the Final Four — the first in program history.
UP NEXT
Oakland: The A’s return home to face the Angels, and ace RHP Sonny Gray gets his second start of the season.
Seattle: The Mariners homestand continues with a three-game series against the Rangers. RHP Hisashi Iwakuma is in search of his first win of the season.
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