Athletics 3 - 5 Mariners
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A's, Mariners play rubber match at Safeco

Apr 15, 2012 - 2:41 PM

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(Sports Network) - Blake Beavan hopes for a little run support this afternoon when the Seattle Mariners close out a three-game series with the Oakland Athletics at Safeco Field.

Beavan was terrific against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, but walked away with a loss, despite allowing just a run and six hits in 6 1/3 innings. He also struck out three and walked a batter in the 1-0 setback.

"Holding them to one run, holding them to three runs, is just a bonus," Beavan said after his sterling season debut. "That lineup one through nine can do damage. There's no break. There's no time to take off a pitch. You've got to go after whoever is in the box one pitch at a time and that's what I tried to do."

Beavan has faced the A's three times and is 1-2 with a 7.56 ERA against them.

Oakland will counter with righty Graham Godfrey, who lost his season debut on Tuesday to Kansas City. Godfrey, though, pitched well, despite a steady rain, surrendering just two runs and six hits in six innings.

"A little wet for baseball," Godfrey said, "but nothing I haven't seen before."

Godfrey has never faced the Mariners.

On Saturday, it was a pair of offseason acquisitions that led the way for the Mariners, as Hector Noesi tossed eight scoreless innings and Jesus Montero extended his hitting streak to eight games with a home run and a double in Seattle's 4-0 win.

The eight innings marked a career-high for Noesi (1-1), as did his six strikeouts. He allowed just five hits in all.

"He was amazing today," Montero said of his pitcher. "His fastball was unbelievable, in, outside, amazing. We threw a lot of fastballs and changeups, too, so everything was nice."

Of course, Noesi and Montero were both acquired from New York in the deal that sent All- Star right-hander Michael Pineda to the Bronx.

Justin Smoak added an RBI for the Mariners, who won for only the second time in their last six tries. Seattle had dropped the opener of this set on Friday, 4-0.

Tommy Milone (1-1) gave up four runs on four hits over six innings in the loss for the Athletics, who have dropped four of six to the Mariners this season.

"You feel like sometimes you can't give up any runs," said Milone. "It's harder, but it happens. As a pitcher we want to go out there and throw up zeros and I didn't do that today."

Today's game will be the last of 11 straight games within the division to start the season for the M's. They face Cleveland on Tuesday.

On this the 65th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier Major League Baseball is commemorating this special occasion by having all players and on-field personnel once again wear the Hall of Famer's No. 42, as well as other pregame festivities.






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