Athletics power past Mariners in Mesa, 7-6
Wilson’s five RBI day put the A’s over .500 for the spring.
The Athletics faced off against the Seattle Mariners today at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona in this season’s latest spring training matchup. The Mariners entered today’s game with a 7-16 record while the Athletics are currently 12-12. A’s skipper Mark Kotsay sent 28-year-old lefty Hogan Harris to the mound to face righty Casey Lawrence for Seattle.
Lawrence Butler opened up the bottom of the first with a double, his third of the spring. But he was stranded at third and didn’t score. Harris pitched for 1.1 innings before being replaced by righty Justin Sterner who stuck out the next two batters for the final two outs of the inning.
The A’s scored first in the third inning when Jacob Wilson homered off starter Casey Lawrence. It was Wilson’s third homer and tenth hit of the spring. Jason Alexander replaced Sterner in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sterner had faced five batters, striking out three and allowing no base runners. Alexander gave up a single to Randy Arozarena and then a double to Luke Raley. He advanced to third on a Butler error and then scored on a wild pitch. Seattle extended their lead in the top of the fourth when Austin Shenton doubled off Alexander and Victor Robles singled to drive him in.
The A’s scored three more runs in the bottom of the fourth when Jacob Wilson hit his second home run of the game scoring Gio Urshela and Zack Gelof.
Urshela and Gelof got things going in the bottom of the sixth when they each singled to start the inning. Jacob Wilson grounded into a force out but drove in Urshela to give the A’s a 5-3 lead.
In the top of the eighth, Cal Raleigh homered off Jake Walkinshaw to draw the score to 5-4. Randy Arozarena singled and that ended Walkinshaw’s afternoon. He was replaced by Colton Johnson who promptly gave up a double to Raley, driving in Arozarena to tie the score at 5-5.
In the bottom of the eighth, Brenan Milone singled to drive in Colby Halter to put the A’s back out in front, 6-5. Jackson Finley replaced Johnson to attempt to close out the game. But Finley hit Robles, who then went to second on a wild pitch and then scored on a single by Austin St. Laurent.
Brandyn Garcia entered the game for Seattle to attempt to slam the door on the A’s 9th. With one down, Junior Perez singled and advanced to second on a fielding error. Luis Urías was hit by a pitch. Max Muncy then singled on a line drive to the center fielder scoring Junior Perez to win the game in a walk-off, 7-6.
The A’s resume action on Wednesday when they travel to Goodyear Ballpark to take on the Guardians.
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