The Athletics fell behind 4-0 in the first game of 2012 in the Oakland Coliseum and never recovered, falling 7-3 to the Seattle Mariners.
Starter Brandon McCarthy was less than sharp in five innings, allowing seven hits and two walks while striking out three. This marks the second time on two continents that Seattle has defeated Oakland in an “opener,” the first being a 3-1 extra innings victory on March 28th. The loss drops Oakland to 1-2 on the season.
Once again, Jason Vargas kept the A’s largely off balance. Over 5.1 innings, he allowed five hits and one walk while striking out three. His only real mistake of the game was a poorly located cut fastball that Yoenis Cespedes crushed to deep left center field, estimated at 462 feet. That one thunderclap was essentially the offense for the night until Seth Smith’s pinch hit single in the bottom of the eighth drove in the third and final A’s run of the night.
The soldout crowd of 35,067 had little to cheer about once the A’s fell behind and the long pattern of not delivering with men on base continued as the A’s went 1-7 with runners in scoring position.
McCarthy’s troubles began in the third inning when Brendan Ryan doubled to open the frame. Chone Figgins attempted to sacrifice him to third base, but A’s third basemen Josh Donaldson hit Figgins in the back with his throw to first and Ryan would score on the play.
After a single, passed ball and walk loaded the bases, Mariners DH Jesus Montero hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Figgins. Another single scored two more Mariners and the rout was on.
Good: Yoenis Cespedes
In spite of the fact he struck out twice, Cespedes‘ bomb of a home run in the fourth inning merits a place here.
Bad: Josh Donaldson
In addition to an 0-4 night at the plate, his throwing error opened the floodgates in the crucial third inning. Nights like this will make the loss of Scott Sizemore look even more glaring.
Ugly: Kurt Suzuki
Suzuki also went 0-4, including two big at-bats with runners in scoring position. However, he gets the ugly distinction tonight because he also allowed two easy stolen bases and a passed ball that ultimately aided in two base runners scoring in the fourth for Seattle.
The final game of this abbreviated series takes place at 6:05 p.m. PT as Bartolo Colon again attempts to salvage a split for the A’s against Felix Hernandez, who will face the A’s three times in the first eight games.
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