Photo credit: @Mariners
By Jerry Feitelberg
The A’s and Mariners received outstanding pitching performances from their starters. The only problem for Oakland was they could do nothing against lefty Marco Gonzalez while Seattle was able to win on an unearned run that spoiled Daniel Gossett’s best start ever as an Oakland Athletic. Gossett, making his first start since being recalled from Nashville, went seven innings, allowed just four hits and the only Seattle run was unearned.
The Mariners’ Marco Gonzalez was brilliant. In his seven innings of work, he allowed just two hits and no runs as he won his fourth game of the year by a score of 1-0.
The Mariners drew first blood in the top of the fourth. Mariners’ centerfielder Guillermo Heredia lined a double down the left field line. Nelson Cruz flew out to right field, and Heredia was able to tag up and advance to third on the play. The A’s brought the infield in order to get the runner at home in a ground ball to any one of the infielders. Gossett got former A’s first baseman, Ryon Healy, to hit a ground ball to A’s shortstop Marcus Semien. Semien fielded the ball cleanly, but he dropped the ball as he attempted to throw him. He was charged with an error and Heredia crossed the plate with the first run of the game. The run was unearned. That run was the only run of the game as both the A’s and Mariners’ bullpens did their jobs and did not allow any runs to be scored.
Game Notes and Stats: The only run of the game was scored when Marcus Semien misplayed a ground ball that allowed Guillermo Heredia to score from third.
Right fielder Stephen Piscotty made two fantastic plays on defense. In the fourth, he robbed Mike Zunino of a home run as he leapt high and with his glove outstretched over the wall, came down with the ball for the out. Piscotty made a diving catch in short right field to rob John Andreoli of a hit.
In the ninth inning, Mark Canha had Mike Zunino shaking his head as Canha also made a running, diving catch in left field to take another hit away from Zunino.
The A’s reliever, Ryan Dull, was hit on the hand by a line drive in the eighth inning. Dull couldn’t make the throw to first and went to the ground writhing in pain. Bob Melvin and the trainer raced to the mound and checked out Dull’s hand. Ryan said he was fine and stayed in the game.
The A’s announcer that they placed Khris Davis on the 10-day DL with a strained right groin injury. The doctors determined that it was a Grade 1 strain and healing takes from one to three weeks. The A’s recalled Daniel Gossett and Franklin Barreto from Nashville.
The line score for Seattle was one run, six hits, and no errors. The line score for Oakland was no runs, three hits, and one huge miscue. Jed Lowrie led the A’s attack with two singles.
Time of game was two hours and 43 minutes and there were just 6991 fans in attendance to see a very well played game.
Up Next: The A’s and Mariners cap off the series Thursday afternoon at 12:35 pm PST.
Josh Lucas will start for the A’s on Thursday and Seattle will send Felix Hernandez to the mound to handle the pitching chores. The Mariners are now 6-2 against Oakland this year and will be going for the sweep. Hernandez is 26-10 in his lifetime against the A’s.
