Mariners 4 - 2 Athletics
Final
  for this game

Romero's first career HR helps Mariners edge A's

May 6, 2014 - 6:28 AM Oakland, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Stefen Romero stroked his first career homer and scored twice to help the Seattle Mariners secure a 4-2 win over the Oakland Athletics in the opener of a four-game set Monday at O.co Coliseum.

Romero's solo shot in the fifth snapped a 2-2 tie, while Brad Miller, Kyle Seager and Corey Hart each added an RBI in support of starter Chris Young (2-0), who held Oakland to two runs on three hits and two walks over six-plus innings.

"I'm going to keep working, keep trying to get better," Young said. "I feel like as the season progresses my arm strength is going to get better and hopefully the results will continue to be there."

Five Seattle relievers combined to keep the A's off the board from there, culminating in a perfect ninth inning from closer Fernando Rodney, who nailed down his eighth save of the season.

Seattle has won three straight and six of its last seven games.

Oakland starter Scott Kazmir (4-1) absorbed his first loss of the season after giving up four runs on eight hits and two walks over six innings.

"Probably wasn't his best stuff as we've seen this year," A's manager Bob Melvin said of Kazmir. "You're going to have days like that. He still kept us in the game."

Brandon Moss slugged a two-run homer for the A's, who have lost three of their last four games.

Seattle jumped on Kazmir in the opening frame, as Michael Saunders and Romero started the inning with consecutive singles.

After Robinson Cano fanned, Hart ripped a base hit to right to score Saunders and Seager followed with an RBI groundout to plate Romero for a 2-0 lead.

Young held the A's hitless over the first three frames, but served up a one- out single to Jed Lowrie in the fourth before Moss came through with a two-out blast over the out-of-town scoreboard in right-center field to tie the game.

The tilt didn't stay tied for long, though, as Romero recorded his first big league homer with two outs in the fifth to give Seattle a 3-2 lead.

The Mariners tacked on a run in the sixth when Cole Gillespie stroked a leadoff single, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Miller's single to left to make it 4-2.

Young allowed the first two Oakland hitters to reach in the seventh, but Charlie Furbush entered and induced a double-play groundout from Alberto Callaspo.

After reliever Dominic Leone entered and walked pinch-hitter Derek Norris, Joe Beimel came in from the bullpen and popped out pinch-hitter Yoenis Cespedes to end the inning.

Beimel and Yoervis Medina combined to blank the A's in the eighth before Rodney retired the home team in order in the ninth.

Game Notes

Seattle improved to 5-1 on its current nine-game road trip ... Oakland had scored at least three runs in each of Kazmir's previous six starts this season ... Oakland's Josh Donaldson went 1-for-4 and has reached base safely via a hit or walk in each of his last 27 games ... The Mariners finished 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base ... Miller stole his first two bases of the season.






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