OAKLAND, Calif. — Right fielder Nelson Cruz hit a tie-breaking solo home run with two outs in the top of the 10th inning, and the Seattle Mariners held on for an 8-7 victory against the Oakland Athletics on Sunday at the O.co Coliseum.
Cruz sent right-hander Tyler Clippard’s 2-0 pitch barely over the left field fence for his second home run of the season and second in two days. He hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning Saturday in Seattle’s 5-4, 11-inning victory against Oakland.
Cruz spoiled the A’s spectacular comeback bid. Trailing 7-3 entering the bottom of the ninth, Oakland rallied to score four runs off Mariners closer Fernando Rodney and force extra innings.
Right fielder Josh Reddick led off with a double to left-center, shortstop Marcus Semien walked, and center fielder Sam Fuld brought them both home with a double down the right field line, cutting Seattle’s lead to 7-5.
A’s rookie left fielder Mark Canha reached on an infield single, and Rodney walked second baseman Ben Zobrist, loading the bases. Designated hitter Billy Butler hit into a double play as Fuld raced home, making it 7-6. Then pinch hitter Eric Sogard lined a game-tying single to left, driving in Canha from third with the game-tying run.
After Cruz homered, Yoervis Medina pitched a perfect ninth for his first save of the season. Rodney got the win.
Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez (2-0) allowed three runs on eight hits over five innings, striking out two and walking two. Hernandez was removed for precautionary reasons because of tightness in his right quad. With two outs in the bottom of the fifth and two runners on, Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon and a team trainer visited Hernandez on the mound, but he stayed in the game and faced on more hitter, retiring first baseman Ike Davis on a ground ball to end the inning.
The Mariners trailed 3-0 through five innings, but they rallied for four runs in the top of the sixth and added three more in the seventh when pinch hitter Rickie Weeks hit his first home run of the season, a blast off A’s reliever Eric O’Flaherty.
Mariners right-hander Danny Farquhar pitched two scoreless innings, left-hander Charlie Furbush blanked the A’s in the eighth.
A’s right-hander Jesse Hahn (0-2) had a perfect game through 4 1/3 innings and a no-hitter through five innings but took the loss. He allowed four runs (one earned) on three hits through 5 2/3 innings.
Butler went 3-for-4 with a double and extended his hitting streak to seven games, the longest in the American League.
Reddick, who was activated from the disabled list Sunday, went 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI in his season debut. But he also made a costly fielding error in the sixth inning, leading to three unearned runs.
The A’s scored three runs in the fourth inning off Hernandez to take a 3-0 lead.
Butler led off with a double to right field, and first baseman Ike Davis lined a single to center. Butler stopped after rounding third, but he ran home when center fielder Austin Jackson bobbled the ball for an error, and Davis raced to second base.
Catcher Stephen Vogt made it 2-0, ripping a triple down the right field line. Then with one out, Reddick lined an RBI single to center in his first game after missing the first six with a strained right oblique.
Seattle rallied for four runs, only one of them earned, in the sixth, taking a 4-3 lead.
Ackley ended Hahn’s no-hit bid with a leadoff double in the sixth, moved to third on catcher Mike Zunino’s single and scored on shortstop Brad Miller’s sacrifice fly, cutting Oakland’s lead to 3-1. Jackson walked, and both runners advanced on designated hitter Seth Smith’s ground out.
Second baseman Robinson Cano hit a line drive to right field that a hard-charging Reddick got to for what should have been the third out, but the ball hit off the heel of his glove and bounced away for an error as Zunino and Jackson scored, making it 3-3.
After Cruz walked, third baseman Kyle Seager singled to center, and Cano scored standing, barely beating center fielder Fuld’s strong throw.
NOTES: Athletics RF Josh Reddick (strained right oblique) was activated from the disabled list and made his season debut Sunday against Seattle, batting eighth and starting in right field. He played two rehab games for Class A Stockton. “It’s been a long time since I even remember feeling (pain) in my side,” Reddick said before the game. “Did running bases and outfield work and swings, not even a pinch or a grab. It feels fantastic.” … A’s INF/OF Tyler Ladendorf was optioned to Triple-A Nashville, making room on the 25-man roster for Reddick. Ladendorf, a rookie, went 2-for-10 with two RBIs in his first four major league games. … Mariners RF Seth Smith, who returned to action Saturday after missing three games with a groin injury, started at designated hitter for the second straight game. “We want to make sure he’s full-go,” Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. “It just makes sense.” … Mariners LF Dustin Ackley entered Sunday’s game batting .300 with two home runs and two RBIs. “He’s been doing fantastic,” McClendon said. “I’ve been very pleased.”