Mariners 2, Athletics 1, 14 innings
Mariners 2, Athletics 1, 14 innings
SEATTLE (AP) — After the Seattle Mariners' dismal start, they'll take a victory any way they can get one.
Even by a balk.
Justin Duchscherer balked home Quinton McCracken with one out in the 14th inning to give the Mariners a 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Monday night, their third win in a row after starting the season 2-8.
”I was a little surprised,” McCracken said. ”It was just a weird play. But a win's a win and right now we need plenty of those. So we'll take it.”
Duchscherer (0-1), the fifth A's pitcher, balked on an 0-2 pitch while facing Scott Spiezio with runners on first and third. First base umpire Mike DiMuro called the balk, ending the 4 hour, 47 minute game that started with 26,020 fans in the stands but didn't have nearly that many at the finish.
DiMuro called the balk on Duchscherer because he said the pitcher didn't step to third base before throwing to first.
”I don't think I balked,” Duchscherer said. ”If you watch the tape, you'll see that I did step toward third.”
McCracken didn't want to venture an opinion.
”I'll leave those calls to the umpires,” he said.
Randy Winn struck out to open the 14th before McCracken singled to left and went to third on Bret Boone's single.
Kevin Jarvis (1-0), Seattle's sixth pitcher, went one inning for the win.
Oakland left 17 men on base and the Mariners stranded 16. Each team left the bases loaded twice in extra innings and Seattle had three on base to end the ninth.
”We left a lot of guys out there and they did, too,” A's manager Ken Macha said. ”That was great pitching by both sides.”
Oakland's Jermaine Dye tied the score at 1 when he hit his AL-leading seventh homer off new Mariners closer Eddie Guardado to open the ninth.
”Look what I caused,” Guardado said, slowly shaking his head. ”It's 12 o'clock. A good three hours.”
Raul Ibanez accounted for Seattle's run with a homer in the fifth off Oakland starter Mark Redman.
The A's had their chances in the 11th, loading the bases with one out but Julio Mateo got Marco Scutaro to foul out to shallow right and struck out Esteban German to end the inning.
In the 10th, Shigetoshi Hasegawa struck out Dye with two outs.
The Mariners left the bases loaded for the third time in the 12th against Duchscherer when Rich Aurilia's sinking line drive to center was caught by Eric Byrnes for the third out.
Spiezio flied out in the 10th to leave them loaded against Ricardo Rincon, and Dan Wilson, facing Jim Mecir, hit into a fielder's choice to end the ninth.
Freddy Garcia, Seattle's starter, left the game with a 1-0 lead, after seven innings. Garcia gave up three hits and two walks, while striking out seven.
Redman pitched eight innings and allowed one run on four hits, with two walks and four strikeouts.
Guardado blew his first save with the Mariners. Seattle now has three blown saves.
Notes: The Mariners' eight homers are the least in the American League. … Seattle RHP Rafael Soriano's rehabilitation start with Triple-A Tacoma was rained out Monday. So Soriano, optioned to the minor leagues last Wednesday in order to build up his arm strength, will pitch Tuesday night for Class-A Inland Empire of the California League. Soriano strained a side muscle this spring and, in three games and two innings this season, had an 0-2 record and an 18.00 ERA. He's still being counted on to play a major role in the Mariners' bullpen this season. … A's CF Mark Kotsay was ejected by plate umpire Paul Emmel for arguing too strongly after being called out on strikes in the top of the 10th. After Kotsay, was tossed, 3B Eric Chavez moved to LF, only the second time in his career that he's played in the outfield.
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