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Crisp's blast sends A's past Mariners in extra innings

Apr 4, 2014 - 7:53 AM Oakland, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Coco Crisp led off the bottom of the 12th inning with a game-winning home run, as the Oakland Athletics edged the Seattle Mariners, 3-2, in the opener of a four-game series Thursday at O.co Coliseum.

After fouling off the first pitch of the frame, Crisp scorched a high fastball from Hector Noesi (0-1) over the out-of-town scoreboard in right-center field.

The umpires briefly reviewed the play before ruling Crisp's blast cleared the wall to give the A's their second win of the season.

"You could tell the first swing he was looking for something that he could pull and get up in the air," A's manager Bob Melvin said of Crisp's approach in the final at-bat. "I think that was his intent and that's tough to do, going up there trying to hit a home run, especially when you're a leadoff type guy."

Crisp also scored on Yoenis Cespedes' game-tying triple in the eighth, while Sam Fuld knocked in Oakland's other run with a triple in the fifth.

Drew Pomeranz (1-0) picked up the win after spinning a perfect top of the 12th. Oakland right-hander Jesse Chavez, who made his third career big league start, surrendered two runs -- one earned -- on five hits and two walks in six innings.

Abraham Almonte went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for Seattle, which suffered its first setback of the season.

Seattle starter Roenis Elias made his major league debut and stifled Oakland in the early going, carrying a no-hitter into the fifth inning before running into trouble.

Meanwhile, the Mariners got an RBI groundout from Robinson Cano in the first thanks to some shoddy defense from the A's and added another run in the fifth on Almonte's single that scored Logan Morrison, who led off the frame with a base hit before moving to third when Dustin Ackley followed with a single.

Elias then breezed through the first two batters in the bottom of the fifth before freezing Nick Punto with a 2-2 backdoor curveball that appeared to fall in for a strike, which would have ended the inning.

Most of Seattle's defense headed toward the dugout thinking the inning had ended, but home plate umpire Sean Barber called the pitch a ball.

"I sincerely thought it was a strike, but the umpire didn't call it," Elias said through a translator. "If I would have gotten that call, I would have gotten out of that frame without giving up a run."

With new life, Punto sent Elias' next pitch to left for a single, giving Oakland its first hit of the game.

After Punto swiped second, Fuld ripped a sinking liner to center that Almonte missed with a diving effort. The ball rolled all the way to the warning track, allowing Fuld to race around the bases, but Cano fired a strike to the plate to nab Fuld and keep Seattle in front.

The umpires reviewed the play due to the new home-plate collision rules before deciding Seattle catcher Mike Zunino blocked the plate legally.

Despite Fuld falling short of the inside-the-park home run, Oakland managed to pull even in the eighth, which started with Crisp and Josh Donaldson working consecutive walks.

After a Jed Lowrie double-play groundout left Crisp stranded at third with two outs, Cespedes clubbed a triple to center field, allowing Crisp to trot home for the game-tying run.

Game Notes

Crisp recorded his first career walk-off home run ... Elias allowed one run on two hits and three walks with three strikeouts over five frames ... Seattle went 11-8 versus the A's last season ... Seattle went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left seven on base ... Oakland went 3-for-9 with RISP and stranded 10 baserunners.






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