There are pitchers' duels, and then there are the blueprints of pitchers' duels. On Thursday night, the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners met in Safeco Field with hot pitchers and moribund offenses. The game lived up to expectations, and Felix Hernandez dominated the A's, throwing 7-2/3 innings of shutout ball before deferring to the bullpen, and the Mariners won, 1-0.
A’s Vs. Mariners: Felix Hernandez Reigns Supreme, Shuts Oakland Down
In the fourth inning, on a 3-1 count, Mariners second baseman Adam Kennedy sat on a fastball from A's starter Brandon McCarthy and drove it into the right-field stands. That was the scoring for both teams on the night. McCarthy pitched a complete game in the losing effort, striking out six over eight innings and looking like an All-Star. If he were Jack Morris, though, he would have inspired his team to hit more just by glaring at them, but as it stood, he was a total loser for allowing that run.
Hernandez only allowed a runner past first base twice -- once on an error on a pickoff attempt, and once in the seventh inning, right before he was removed from the game. The A's threatened in the ninth off temporary closer Brandon League, getting Josh Willingham to second with one out, but Kennedy made a fantastic over-the-shoulder catch on a foul pop to help end the threat.
The series continues tomorrow night, with Tyson Ross filling in for the injured Dallas Braden, and Michael Pineda going for the Mariners.
For more on the A’s and Mariners, please visit team blogs Athletics Nation and Lookout Landing.
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