Currently: - Game info: 10:05 pm EDT Fri Apr 9, 2004
- TV: FSNW, KICU
The Seattle Mariners will try to shake off a brutal season-opening series when they open a three-game set with the Oakland Athletics at Network Associates Coliseum.
The Mariners suffered a three-game home sweep to Anaheim, getting outscored 25-13 by the revamped Angels. On Thursday, Seattle got a strong pitching performance from starter Freddy Garcia—four hits through seven scoreless innings—but the bullpen imploded in the top of the ninth inning, allowing five runs in a 5-1 loss.
Reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa was touched up for four runs and four hits in the final frame as Seattle dropped to 0-3.
“We felt very good going into the ninth inning,” Mariners manager Bob Melvin said. “Everything seemingly went their way.”
Garcia, who is trying to bounce back from a disappointing 2003 season, took the defeat in stride.
“We didn’t win today,” he said. “Maybe we’ll do better tomorrow.”
The A’s took the first two games of their season-opening series with Texas, but dropped the finale 2-1 on Wednesday, squandering a strong effort from Barry Zito, who allowed two runs and seven hits over eight innings.
Despite the defeat, Oakland manager Ken Macha voiced enthusiasm about his team’s performance.
“If we play defense like that and pitch like that, we’ll be just fine,” Macha said.
The A’s, who have reached the playoffs in each of the last four seasons, lost 12 of 19 meetings with Seattle last season, making the Mariners one of only two AL teams with a winning record against Oakland in 2003.
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