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Athletics use late home runs to sink Mariners

Jul 6, 2007 - 5:59 AM OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Oakland Athletics provided Chad Gaudin with just enough offense.

Bobby Crosby belted a go-ahead home run in the sixth inning and Gaudin pitched 7 2/3 quality innings as the Athletics defeated the Seattle Mariners, 3-2, in the opener of a three-game set Thursday.

Gaudin (8-3), who entered having allowed three runs or fewer in 14 of his 17 starts, held the Mariners in check, yielding just two runs while scattering eight hits in 7 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out four.

"It was a real nice win," Athletics manager Bob Geren said. "It was clean all the way around. Pitching, timely hitting. It was a good win for us. Against a team that's ahead of us in the division, that was big for us tonight."

Gaudin, who replaced injured starter Esteban Loaiza in the rotation at the beginning of the season, has allowed just five home runs all season - the lowest mark in the American league.

"I had to attack the zone, and I though I was able to do that," Gaudin said. "Early on those guys were a little more patient than I expected, but I just stuck to the plan. Those guys got some key hits for us and it turned out to be a good game."

"Chad Gaudin threw the ball really well," Geren said. "He gave up a couple runs but just battled the rest of the game. It was a super performance."

With the Athletics trailing, 2-1, in the sixth, Nick Swisher led off the frame by belting a 1-0 offering from Batista over the right field wall. It was Swisher's 11th home run of the season and his first in 15 games.

"I'd been scratching and clawing," Swisher said. "Today was kind of big turning point for me. I hit two balls on the button today. If I can just take the consistent approach that I have been, things will be all right."

Crosby put Oakland ahead for good with two outs in the frame by belting a solo shot to left-center. It was his seventh homer of the season and first since June 9.

"It felt really good," Crosby said. "I've been trying different things lately to get a different feel. Lately I've been pulling off the ball, and tonight I was just trying to go the other way. Hopefully this will start things in the right direction."

Santiago Casilla bridged the gap to Alan Embree, who recorded his ninth save of the season.

Jose Guillen contributed three hits and a run scored for Seattle, which entered having won nine of its last 11.

Seattle opened the scoring in the first inning when Guillen singled down the third base line off Gaudin, scoring Jose Vidro from second for a 1-0 edge.

Adrian Beltre lined a single to left plating Guillen from second in the fourth for a 2-1 advantage.

Seattle starter Miguel Batista (8-7) also went 7 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and six hits. He struck out five and walked three but was frustrated by giving up the two homers.

"They weren't bad pitches at all," Batista said. "Stupid decisions I would say. I should have just stuck with my game plan. That's what cost me the game. They were two good pitches, I just should have thrown something else."

Shannon Stewart extended his hitting streak to 11 games for Oakland.

Seattle manager John McLaren, who was managing in just his fourth game after the surprise resignation of Mike Hargrove over the weekend, is now 1-3 as the Mariners' skipper.

"Miggy (Batista) threw the ball really well," Mariners manager John McLaren said. "He gave up a couple of home runs, but kept us in the ballgame. He gave us a chance to win, but we couldn't get anything going tonight."