The first inning didn’t start well for Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Tommy Milone who had an excellent rookie season in 2012. Franklin Gutierrez greeted him with his first home run of the season and just two batters later Michael Morse took him deep for his third home run in two days.
Jesus Montero opened the second inning up with a single and advanced to second after Jason Bay walked. Milone received his wake up call and got Robert Andino to hit into a double play and then struck out Brendan Ryan to end the inning. From that point on he was outstanding.
He finished the night going seven innings, giving up four hits, two runs all earned and struck out four while walking one. Sean Doolittle pitched the eighth striking out one and Chris Resop closed out the ninth and struck out a batter.
Seattle Mariners starter Joe Saunders first inning went quickly and he began to struggle in the second inning though he got saved by a double play in the inning. Josh Donaldson opened with a double and Derek Norris walked before Josh Reddick helped Saunders cause with the double play.
With two outs it was up to first basemen Nate Freiman who was making his Major League debut and in his first at-bat singled in Donaldson. Scott Sizemore doubled and Bay threw out Freiman at the plate to end the inning.
Saunders in the third got into more trouble after Coco Crisp doubled while Jed Lowrie and Chris Young reached with a walk. All the A’s mustered was a sacrifice fly by Yoenis Cespedes.
In the fourth Reddick walked and Freiman singled. After Sizemore went down on strikes and Crisp grounded into a fielder’s choice it looked like another Houdini trick for Saunders until Lowrie doubled in both runs.
For the night Saunders went four innings, seven hits, four runs all earned and struck out three while walking four. Eric Wedge went with Kameron Loe out of the bullpen and he pitched well until he gave up back-to-back home runs to Lowrie and Young in the seventh inning.
That was all for the scoring and the A’s picked up their first victory of the 2013 season.
Notes: Freiman made a nice running catch in foul territory and was the first A’s player since 2007 to get hits in his first two at-bats to start their career.