A's Beat Out Mariners 5-2
SEATTLE (AP) -- Coco Crisp had three hits, scored three runs and stole a base, and Brett Anderson pitched seven strong innings as the Oakland A's earned a series split with a 5-2 win over the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.
Crisp has six hits in his last two games, breaking a skid that saw him bat just .175 over the pervious 15 games to help spark a previously dormant Oakland offense.
Anderson (2-1) allowed two runs, one earned, and struck out six for the victory. Brian Fuentes came on in the eighth inning and struck out three of his four batters in picking up the four-out save. It was his sixth save in seven chances.
With the game tied at 1 in the seventh, Crisp reached on a fielder's choice against reliever Aaron Laffey (0-1) and moved to third on a single by pinch-hitter Conor Jackson. Josh Willingham followed with a double down the left-field line that Milton Bradley misplayed in the corner and allowed Jackson to score from first to give Oakland a 3-1 lead.
Seattle got a run back in the bottom half as Michael Saunders led off with an infield single. Jack Wilson reached on a throwing error by Kevin Kouzmanoff and the runners advanced as the ball caromed into the stands. Ryan Langerhans picked up an RBI on a groundout to first that allowed Saunders to score, but Wilson was left stranded at third as Ichiro Suzuki flew out to center and Chone Figgins struck out looking.
The Mariners threatened again in the eighth inning, but pinch-hitter Luis Rodriguez struck out to strand the tying run at third.
Oakland tacked on a couple of insurance runs in the ninth inning to seal the win.
Hideki Matsui came up with a two out single to right field that scored Coco Crisp from second to give Oakland the 1-0 lead.
Suzuki led off with a bunt single of his own in the bottom half of the first and, despite being picked off by Anderson, was able to get into second base safely when Daric Barton's throw hit him in the backside.
A grounder to second by Bradley brought Suzuki home and tied it at 1.
Mariners starter Doug Fister worked out of a jam in the fifth after giving up a leadoff triple to Crisp. Adam Kennedy snared a one-hopper from Barton at first and kept Crisp from advancing home. Fister then forced David DeJesus to pop up to third base and Josh Willingham flew out to end the threat.
Crisp then flashed his glove. In the sixth inning, Miguel Olivo led off with a drive to center that Crisp tracked down and caught running full speed before slamming into the wall with his left shoulder. Crisp seemed to favor it briefly before shaking it off and staying in.
Notes: Fister allowed just four hits and one run over six innings for Seattle.
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