by Jerry Feitelberg

AP photo: Oakland A’s pitcher Rich Hill throws at the Seattle Mariners line up in the first inning at Safeco Field on Monday night

The A’s lefty, Rich Hill, became King of the Hill Monday night as the A’s defeated the Seattle Mariners 5-0. Hill and the Mariners’ Tijuan Walker engaged in an old-fashioned pitchers’ duel Monday night at Safeco Field in Seattle. The A’s must love playing there as they won their fourth straight there this year. They also snapped the Mariners’ four-game winning streak.

The A’s scored all the runs they would need in the top of the seventh. A’s catcher, Stephen Vogt, homered to put the A’s in the lead 1-0. They scored four unearned runs in the top of the eighth when shortstop Chris Taylor made two errors to open the floodgates.

Hill went eight innings and allowed just eight hits, no walks and had six strikeouts. Hill became the first A’s pitcher to pitch into the seventh inning. Ryan Madson closed out the game for Oakland in the ninth.

Hill’s record for the year is 7-3. Walker drops to 2-4. Game two of the series will be played Tuesday night at 7:05 PM at Safeco field in Seattle.