OAKLAND 2
SEATTLE 1
SEATTLE 鈥� Felix Hernandez was his dominant self Sunday, and Seattle鈥檚 hitters couldn鈥檛 get him a win.
More of the same for the Mariners ace.
Hernandez struck out 10 over seven scoreless innings, but Seattle鈥檚 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 鈥� 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.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to do more offensively,鈥� Mariners manager Scott Servais said. 鈥淥ur pitching has done a very nice job, I鈥檓 happy where we鈥檙e at bullpen-wise. We鈥檙e just not getting it done with the bats right now.鈥�
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).
鈥淔elix comes out of the game and you almost feel like there鈥檚 momentum that鈥檚 in your dugout just by the fact that he鈥檚 out of the game,鈥� A鈥檚 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鈥檚 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.
鈥淵eah, it came easier after that,鈥� Hernandez said. 鈥淛ust gotta make good pitches and get out of that inning. After that it was just throwing strikes and getting outs.鈥�
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鈥檚 room
Seattle: Servais said reliever Mike Montgomery wasn鈥檛 ready to pitch multiple days in a row. Montgomery has transitioned from the starting rotation to the bullpen.
Honouring Huskies
The University of Washington women鈥檚 basketball team was honoured and given a standing ovation during the game for its run to the Final Four 鈥� the first in program history.
Hernandez against A鈥檚
The Mariners ace is 22-8 with a 2.58 ERA in 41 career starts against the A鈥檚.
Madison continues to impress
A鈥檚 reliever Ryan Madson has not allowed a run in 16 consecutive games, a streak that spans 15 innings and started last season.
Up next
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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