Kazmir struck out seven, including four straight at one point, and was perfect until left fielder Franklin Gutierrez doubled with one out in the fifth. He didn't walk a batter. Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
OAKLAND, Calif. — Scott Kazmir allowed two hits over eight shutout innings, shortstop Marcus Semien homered, and the Oakland A’s defeated the Seattle Mariners 4-0 on Thursday night at the O.co Coliseum
Kazmir struck out seven, including four straight at one point, and was perfect until left fielder Franklin Gutierrez doubled with one out in the fifth. He didn’t walk a batter.
Kazmir (5-5) improved to 5-0 against teams in the American League West, the A’s home.
The A’s, who beat the Mariners for just the second time in seven games this season, scored all four runs on two-out hits. Catcher Josh Pheley had a two-run double in the first, Semien a solo home run in the fifth and rookie left fielder Mark Canha an RBI triple in the seventh, his first career triple.
The Mariners came into the game after back-to-back shutout victories against San Diego. But the A’s quickly ended that streak of 18 scoreless innings in the first inning.
Mariners left-hander Roenis Elias (4-6) gave up three runs and three hits over six innings, striking out seven and walking one.
Gutierrez went 2-for-3, getting both of Seattle’s hits against Kazmir.
A’s right-hander Edward Mujica pitched a scoreless ninth.
The A’s jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, rallying after Elias retired the first two batters he faced.
Second baseman Ben Zobrist walked and moved to third on designated hitter Billy Butler’s double down the left field line. Phegley brought them both home with an opposite-field double down the right field line.
The A’s extended their lead to 3-0 on Semien’s two-out blast over the left field fence, his seventh homer of the season.
NOTES: Oakland RHP Sonny Gray rejoined his teammates Thursday after a three-day stay in a hospital for severe bacterial gastroenteritis caused by salmonella. Gray likely will miss his scheduled start Sunday, although an official decision has not been made. It is possible he also could miss his final scheduled start before the All-Star break. … The Mariners called up SS Chris Taylor from Triple-A Tacoma and designated veteran INF/OF Willie Bloomquist for assignment. Bloomquist was batting .159 in 35 games this season. Taylor started against the A’s. … The A’s acquired RHP Cody Martin from Atlanta in exchange for international bonus money and assigned him to Triple-A Nashville. Martin went 2-3 with a 5.40 ERA in 21 relief appearances this year with the Braves and also spent time at Triple-A Gwinnett. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, Oakland designated Nashville 1B Nate Freiman for assignment.
