by Charlie O. Mallonee

The Oakland A’s needed a win on Mother’s Day. Not just to win for Mom, they needed a win to stop their losing streak and keep from being swept by the Mariners.

The problem for Oakland was in order to record a victory they would have to beat pitcher King Felix Hernandez who came into the game with a perfect 5-0 record.

When the game was finished, the A’s had lost 4-3, been swept in the series 3-0 and King Felix was a perfect 6-0 for the season.

Hernandez pitched 7.0-innings on Sunday giving up two runs (both earned) on five hits. Both runs were scored off home runs. Hernandez struck out six batters and walked just one. His ERA now stands at just 1.85 for the season.

The A’s record fell to 12-21 – the second worst record in the American League. Oakland finished the 10-game road trip with a dismal 3-7 record.

In the Batter’s Box

The A’s actually out hit the Mariners on Sunday. The A’s posted six hits while Seattle managed to get just five hits off the three Oakland pitchers.

All of Oakland’s runs came via home runs. Marcus Semien hit two home runs in the game both off of Hernandez. Semien now has five home runs for the year.

The A’s third run came in the top of the ninth inning when Stephen Vogt hit his eighth homer of the season off Seattle reliever Fernando Rodney.

Semien and Vogt recorded all six hits by the A’s in the game.

The big problem for the A’s was the lack of runners on base. Oakland never put a man in scoring position during the entire game. It is very tough to win a game without putting runners on second or third.

Seattle went two for seven with Runners In Scoring Position. They hit no home runs but had three doubles in the game. Dustin Ackley hit one of those doubles and recorded two RBI.

On the Bump

RHP Jesse Chavez (1-3) started the game for Oakland. Chavez worked 6.2-innings giving up four runs (all earned) on five hits. He struck out seven and walked two. His ERA stands at a respectable 2.56.

Fernando Rodriguez worked 0.1-inning and walked two batters before inducing Nelson Cruz to hit into a force out to end the seventh inning.

Evan Scribner set Seattle down in order in the bottom of the eighth inning.

In the Field

The A’s posted another error on Sunday. In the bottom of the second inning Marcus Semien committed an error when he mishandled a ground-ball off the bat of Logan Morrison. The error was Semien’s ninth of the year.

Up Next

The A’s headed back to Oakland after the game. They will kick-off a three-game series with the Boston Red Sox on Monday night.

The Red Sox come in with a record of 14-17 on the season. Boston is 3-7 in their last 10 games.

LHP Scott Kazmir (2-1, 2.75) will start for Oakland while RHP Rick Porcello (3-2, 4.38) will take the mound for the Red Sox.

Relief is coming

RHP Edward Mujica will be with the A’s as they start the series with Boston on Monday. Mujica was obtained from the Red Sox via a trade for a Player to be Named Later.

Mujica is 31-years old and has had a career that has spanned 10 seasons. He has a 4.61 ERA in 11 appearances for Boston. His career ERA is 3.79.

When he appears for Oakland, Mujica will be the 14th reliever used by the A’s this season. The A’s relief corps has the highest ERA in the majors at 5.14.