evanreyes
04-08-2002, 01:07 AM
SEATTLE (AP) - Rookie Carlos Pena hit his fourth home run, and Eric Chavez returned to the lineup with a homer and three RBI as the Oakland Athletics beat the Seattle Mariners 6-5 Sunday night.
Tim Hudson (1-0) pitched six solid innings, allowing one run and four hits. The A's took two of three from their American League West rivals in a series matching teams that reached the playoffs the past two seasons.
When the Mariners tied the major league record with 116 victories last year, they went 10 series into the season before losing one. Toronto won two of three at Safeco Field in early May.
Pena, acquired in an offseason trade with Texas to take Jason Giambi's spot at first base, connected for a two-run shot off Jamie Moyer (0-1) in the fifth inning for a 2-1 lead.
Chavez, who missed the previous three games because of tightness in his lower back, made it 3-1 in the sixth with his second homer of the season.
Chavez added a two-run double in the eighth off Arthur Rhodes, and David Justice singled in Oakland's sixth run.
Trailing 6-2, the Mariners made it close with three runs in the eighth on Ichiro Suzuki's two-run triple and Mark McLemore's sacrifice fly.
Billy Koch, Oakland's seventh pitcher, got the final four outs for his second save. Koch walked the first two batters in the ninth, but Mike Cameron popped up a bunt attempt and Jeff Cirillo lined back to the mound for a game-ending double play.
Cirillo stranded seven runners.
The Mariners took a 1-0 lead in the third. Dan Wilson walked, went to second on Hudson's wild pitch and third on Carlos Guillen's single. Suzuki hit into a fielder's choice, scoring Wilson.
The Mariners got an unearned run off Oakland's bullpen in the seventh, thanks to third baseman Olmedo Saenz's second error of the game. Suzuki reached on Saenz's fielding error, went to third on McLemore's single off Mike Venafro and scored on Bret Boone's single off Chad Bradford.
With the bases loaded, Jeff Tam got Cameron to end the inning with a long drive to left that Jeremy Giambi ran down on the warning track.
Hudson wiggled out of bases-loaded jams in the fourth and sixth.
In the fourth, Hudson struck out Cirillo and got Wilson to fly out to center.
In the sixth, Hudson got Cirillo and Wilson to hit into force plays after the Mariners loaded the bases on a throwing error by Saenz, a walk to John Olerud and an infield single by Cameron.
Moyer, a 20-game winner last season, gave up three runs and six hits in seven innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out two.
Notes: The Mariners were 43-6-4 in series last season, including 21-5 at home. ... The Mariners are off to a 3-3 start. They were 4-2 after six games last season. ... Manager Art Howe said he hopes to have Chavez back at third base for Oakland's series at Texas that opens Tuesday night. Chavez was used as the designated hitter on Sunday night. ... A's right fielder Jermaine Dye, who started the season on the disabled list, ran almost full speed before the game Sunday night. Trainer Larry Davis said he hopes to have Dye run on the basepaths Tuesday if he recovers well from Sunday. Dye still is recovering after breaking his left leg with a foul ball Oct. 14 in the fourth game of the AL playoffs against the New York Yankees. ... Hudson walked four and struck out five.
Tim Hudson (1-0) pitched six solid innings, allowing one run and four hits. The A's took two of three from their American League West rivals in a series matching teams that reached the playoffs the past two seasons.
When the Mariners tied the major league record with 116 victories last year, they went 10 series into the season before losing one. Toronto won two of three at Safeco Field in early May.
Pena, acquired in an offseason trade with Texas to take Jason Giambi's spot at first base, connected for a two-run shot off Jamie Moyer (0-1) in the fifth inning for a 2-1 lead.
Chavez, who missed the previous three games because of tightness in his lower back, made it 3-1 in the sixth with his second homer of the season.
Chavez added a two-run double in the eighth off Arthur Rhodes, and David Justice singled in Oakland's sixth run.
Trailing 6-2, the Mariners made it close with three runs in the eighth on Ichiro Suzuki's two-run triple and Mark McLemore's sacrifice fly.
Billy Koch, Oakland's seventh pitcher, got the final four outs for his second save. Koch walked the first two batters in the ninth, but Mike Cameron popped up a bunt attempt and Jeff Cirillo lined back to the mound for a game-ending double play.
Cirillo stranded seven runners.
The Mariners took a 1-0 lead in the third. Dan Wilson walked, went to second on Hudson's wild pitch and third on Carlos Guillen's single. Suzuki hit into a fielder's choice, scoring Wilson.
The Mariners got an unearned run off Oakland's bullpen in the seventh, thanks to third baseman Olmedo Saenz's second error of the game. Suzuki reached on Saenz's fielding error, went to third on McLemore's single off Mike Venafro and scored on Bret Boone's single off Chad Bradford.
With the bases loaded, Jeff Tam got Cameron to end the inning with a long drive to left that Jeremy Giambi ran down on the warning track.
Hudson wiggled out of bases-loaded jams in the fourth and sixth.
In the fourth, Hudson struck out Cirillo and got Wilson to fly out to center.
In the sixth, Hudson got Cirillo and Wilson to hit into force plays after the Mariners loaded the bases on a throwing error by Saenz, a walk to John Olerud and an infield single by Cameron.
Moyer, a 20-game winner last season, gave up three runs and six hits in seven innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out two.
Notes: The Mariners were 43-6-4 in series last season, including 21-5 at home. ... The Mariners are off to a 3-3 start. They were 4-2 after six games last season. ... Manager Art Howe said he hopes to have Chavez back at third base for Oakland's series at Texas that opens Tuesday night. Chavez was used as the designated hitter on Sunday night. ... A's right fielder Jermaine Dye, who started the season on the disabled list, ran almost full speed before the game Sunday night. Trainer Larry Davis said he hopes to have Dye run on the basepaths Tuesday if he recovers well from Sunday. Dye still is recovering after breaking his left leg with a foul ball Oct. 14 in the fourth game of the AL playoffs against the New York Yankees. ... Hudson walked four and struck out five.