Pratt's Instant Replay: Mariners 3, A's 2

BOX SCORE

When the Mariners and Athletics lock horns, offense is at a premium. The Mariners ended up taking the game 3-2 after an eighth inning rally. As much trouble as Seattle has had winning, they seem to have the A's number. Oakland is 3-6 against the Mariners this season, and 45-59 against them since 2007, the worst winning percentage by any team against Seattle. Starting Pitching ReportThe Mariners ran their scoreless streak up to 25 innings before scoring a run on Travis Blackley in the third inning. The run came on a long RBI double by Franklin Gutierrez, which hit the top of the wall in left-center field. The Mariners plated one more run on a sacrifice fly, making it 2-0. The Australian lefty was efficient in Seattle, where he started his career. He threw 88 pitches over seven innings. He allowed only two runs and struck out three hitters, gave up five hits, and issued one walk.
Blackley has allowed five runs over his last three starts combined, not bad for a guy who pitched in Korea last year. At the PlateAs the Mariners ended their scoreless innings streak, the A's began one of their own. Reaching 13 scoreless before Yoenis Cespedes launched a solo homer to left-center field. It was the Cuban sluggers eighth homer of the season. Seth Smith followed Cespedes with a double down the right field line. He has collected a hit in his last eight road games. Jonny Gomes then tied the game at two, driving in Smith with a single. Cespedes' homer knocked Vargas out of the game. The A's hitters must have been happy to see him go. After flailing away for 11 strikeouts on Monday, Vargas struck out five of the first six hitters he faced. He ended up tying a career-high with 10 strikeouts. The previous time he struck out 10 hitters also came against the A's. In total, the A's hitters have registered 25 strikeouts in the two games this series. Cespedes has hit four homers and driven in eight runs this season against Seattle and they had seen enough of him. Mariners manager Eric Wedge chose to intentionally walk him in the eighth inning, bringing Brandon Inge to the plate with two on and two outs. Inge struck out in the biggest at-bat of the game for the A's. Inge ended 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Jemile Weeks stole his first base since May 14. It was his first stolen base in 35 games. and 11th steal on the season.Bullpen ReportThe A's bullpen gave up the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. Jim Miller started the inning and got into trouble. He allowed two hits, and intentionally walked Ichiro. The second hit that he gave up was an RBI-single to Brendan Ryan who is batting .182 this season. Jerry Blevins entered with two outs and two on after Miller departed. He got Kyle Seager to fly out to end the inning. In the FieldBlackley showed off his pickoff move in the fifth, freezing Casper Wells at first base. In the sixth inning Blackley had Ichiro picked clean off first base too, but the umpire called him safe. Also in the bottom of the sixth, Smith made a slick backhanded sliding catch to rob Seager. Cespedes played all nine innings in center field. He hadn't started a game in the outfield since June 13. He made a catch in the right-center field gap in the eighth inning ranging very far on the run. He said he didn't want to play the outfield until he was 100-percent. It appears he is fully healthy. AttendanceThe announced attendance at SafeCo Field was 12,411. That is a very small crowd considering the Mariners have one of the nicest stadiums in baseball. Up NextJarrod Parker (3-3, 2.70 ERA) takes on Kevin Millwood (3-6, 4.02 ERA). Parker was in line to get the victory against the Giants on Friday but Ryan Cook blew the save. The rookie right-handed pitcher is 1-1 with a 3.50 ERA in his last three starts.Millwood allowed eight runs -- five of which were earned -- in his last start against the Padres. He hasn't been very successful at home this season, going 1-2 with a 5.46 ERA.