The Mariners were unable to keep their momentum from the previous series win against their American League West rivals.
SEATTLE — An early lead and consistent threats on the bases wasn't enough for the Seattle Mariners, who fell 7-4 to the Athletics in the first of a four-game series on Thursday at T-Mobile Park.
Three of the Mariners four runs were scored in the first inning Thursday. They finished the game 4-for-16 with runners in scoring position and left 14 runners stranded on the bases. They had a hitter reach base safely in every inning except the fourth and ninth innings. To make matters worse, M's hitters also struck out 18 times: a season-high.
"Sometimes you start to look for too much and you get away from what you do," Seattle manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview Thursday. "That's what could happen in those situations. We're pushing and sometimes we try to do too much."
The A's got on the board first in the top of the first inning courtesy of a solo home run from left fielder Zack Gelof.
The Mariners promptly responded in the bottom of the first. Left fielder Randy Arozarena drew a lead-off walk and center fielder Julio Rodriguez brought him home two batters later with an RBI double.
Catcher Cal Raleigh hit an RBI single to give Seattle a 2-1 lead and right fielder Lazaro Montes, who made his T-Mobile Park debut Thursday, hit an RBI single to bolster that advantage to 3-1.
The Athletics pulled back within one run in the top of the second after shortstop Alika Williams grounded into a double play with the bases loaded and no outs. Designated hitter Jeff McNeil scored on the play.
After that point, despite some struggles, it seemed like Mariners starting pitcher Kade Anderson, making his third start in the big leagues and second in the Pacific Northwest, would end his outing with the lead.
In the top of the fifth inning, with two outs and no runners on, Anderson walked center fielder Henry Bolte on four pitches and gave up back-to-back singles to Gelof and left fielder Lawrence Butler. The latter of the two base hits was a two-RBI single, which gave the A's a 4-3 lead.
Anderson made it through the fifth and finished his outing with three strikeouts, two walks, one wild pitch and four earned runs allowed on seven hits (one home run) in five innings of work.
"I don't think (that outing) holds up to the standard I put on myself and my teammates put on," Anderson said after the game. "A little unacceptable tonight. Look forward to getting out there again. ... I got to clean that up."
In the top of the sixth, facing Seattle reliever Carlos Vargas, the Athletics pushed their advantage to 5-3 after pinch-hitter/second baseman Donovan Walton hit a solo home run to right center field.
Later in the inning, Vargas hit catcher Brian Serven with a pitch, which resulted in warnings being issued to the pitcher and the Mariners dugout. Wilson came out to "get an explanation" for the decision, which resulted in his ejection.
"I just was looking for an explanation why they thought that was intentional," Wilson said. "Or we were, in some way, needing a warning at that point. That was really all I was looking for."
The Mariners last run came in the bottom of the sixth inning after Arozarena scored on a fielder's choice hit by Rodriguez, which cut the A's lead to 5-4.
The Athletics put up two more runs, one each in the eighth and ninth inning, for the eventual final of 7-4.
Following the loss, Seattle is six games out of first place in the American League West and 4.5 games out of the final wild card spot in the American League.
The Mariners will have a chance to even the series in the second of the four-game set at 7:10 p.m. PT on Friday. Logan Gilbert will start for Seattle. The A's starter is still to-be-announced.
