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Willingham leads A's past Mariners

Apr 25, 2011 - 12:30 AM Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Josh Willingham knocked in three runs, Brett Anderson pitched seven strong innings and the Oakland Athletics beat Seattle 5-2 to split a four-game series.

Willingham was hit by two pitches, but also delivered a two-run double and an RBI single to lead Oakland's 10-hit attack.

Anderson (2-1) allowed two runs -- one earned -- on five hits and a walk, striking out six as the A's captured their second straight game after losing three in a row.

"It was big to split the series, come out and put up some runs like we did yesterday (in a 9-1 win) and to score some runs late to extend the lead," said Anderson. "I like where we're at."

Seattle, trying to beat Oakland in a series for the second time this season, got two hits from Ichiro Suzuki and Ryan Langerhans. Doug Fister gave up just one run in a six-inning start while Aaron Laffey (0-1) took the loss out of the bullpen, giving up Willingham's go-ahead two-run double in the seventh.

The Mariners were held under five runs for the fifth straight game.

"We got to break through this. We had opportunities throughout the course of the ballgame," said Seattle manager Eric Wedge. "These guys are going to have to figure out a way to fight through whatever they're going through mentally, or fundamentally, and finish off innings. That's the difference."

Both teams scored a run in the first inning -- the only runs scored in the first six frames against stingy starting pitching.

Oakland took a 1-0 lead on Hideki Matsui's RBI single, which scored Coco Crisp after he led off the game with a single. Suzuki started Seattle off with a bunt single, stole second base and moved to third on Chone Figgins' bunt. He scored on Milton Bradley's groundout to tie the game at 1-1.

Fister yielded just four hits and two walks, striking out five in his six innings. Oakland came alive as soon as he was pulled for Laffey, with Willingham delivering a two-out double that scored Crisp and Conor Jackson to make it 3-1.

Seattle scratched out a run against Anderson in the bottom of the seventh. Michael Saunders singled, moved to third when Jack Wilson reached on a throwing error by Kevin Kouzmanoff at third, and scored on Langerhans' groundout.

But Oakland added a pair of insurance runs against relievers Jamey Wright and Brandon League in the ninth. Crisp singled off Wright and later scored when Jackson's chopper off League got past Figgins at third base for an error. Willingham followed with an RBI single that scored Daric Barton.

Brian Fuentes, who stranded runners on first and third in the eighth, hurled a 1-2-3 ninth to post his sixth save of the season.

Game Notes

Anderson improved to 6-3 in 12 starts against Seattle, including 2-2 at Safeco Field. He has a 1.90 career ERA against the Mariners and has allowed just five earned runs in 39 innings at Seattle...Seattle took two of three from the A's to open the season...The Mariners optioned outfielder Carlos Peguero and pitcher Josh Lueke to Triple-A Tacoma and recalled pitcher Dan Cortes. First baseman Justin Smoak will be reinstated from the bereavement list before their next game.