by Jerry Feitelberg

The Seattle Mariners, behind a stout pitching performance by King Felix Hernandez, defeated the Oakland A’s 8-2 Wednesday afternoon in Seattle. The Mariners took the three-game series two games to one. The A’s were hoping that their starter, Chris Bassitt, would be on the top of his game. The A’s were facing their nemesis, Hernandez, and they knew that it could be a rough afternoon. Indeed, it was. Hernandez was dominant. He made two mistakes in the game. The first mistake was a leadoff home run to Billy Burns to start the game. The second mistake came in the seventh when Brett Lawrie led off with his thirteenth homer of the year. The A’s had just three hits total in the game. Hernandez went eight innings allowing three hits and two runs and those runs came on the two homers. Bassitt, on the other hand, was roughed up for four runs ans six hits in the first inning.

The A’s took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Billy Burns hit the first pitch of the game over the wall for his third home run of the season. The lead didn’t last long as the Mariners stormed back in their half of the first inning. They  sent ten men to the plate and scored four runs and had six hits. Rookie shortstop Ketel Marte led off the frame with a single. He advanced to second on a ground out. Mariner right fielder, Nelson Cruz who is a candidate for MVP honors, singled to drive in Marte with the tying run. Robinson Cano followed with a single. Former Athletic, Seth Smith, doubled down the left-field line to put the Mariners ahead 2-1. Mark Trumbo singled to plate Cano. Smith scored on a single off the bat of Logan Morrison. Mariners lead 4-1 after one inning of play.

The Mariners added a run in the bottom of the sixth. Switch-pitcher Pat Venditte was now on the hill for the A’s. Ketel Marte led off the inning with a double. He advanced to third on a ground out and then scored on a single by Nelson Cruz. The A’s scored their second run of the game when Brett Lawrie homered leading off the seventh. The Mariners got the run back in their half of the seventh. Sean Doolittle pitched the seventh and appeared that he was struggling with his command as he had top throw thirty-three pitches in the inning. 6-2 after seven.

The Mariners added two more runs in the eighth inning. Fernando Abad was in the game for Oakland. Kyle Seager took him deep. Nelson Cruz followed that with his thirty-ninth home run of the year to make it an 8-2 game.

The A’s have an off-day on Thursday as they travel to Phoenix to meet the Arizona DiamondBacks for three games over the weekend.  Sonny Gray will go for Oakland and he will be opposed by Chase Anderson.