Oakland, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Logan Morrison scored the winning run during the 11th inning to lift the Seattle Mariners to a 5-4 victory over the Oakland Athletics in the second of a three-game set on Saturday.
Morrison opened the top of the 11th inning with a single off Fernando Abad (0-1), moved to second on Dustin Ackley's sacrifice bunt and hustled home on Brad Miller's sharp liner to left to give Seattle the lead.
Fernando Rodney retired the side in order during the bottom half for his second save of the season.
Nelson Cruz finished 3-for-5 with a three-run homer and Ackley hit a solo shot for the Mariners, who ended a three-game skid. Tyler Olson (1-0) earned his first major league win after tossing a scoreless 10th. Starter J.A. Happ gave up two runs on seven hits over 6 1/3 innings.
"I feel like every time we play them, it's like that," Miller said of playing Oakland. "Its always hard-fought ... It's always fun to be in a game like that."
Ben Zobrist and Brett Lawrie each hit RBI doubles, Josh Phegley and Marcus Semien each drove in a run and starter Sonny Gray allowed two runs -- one earned -- on six hits with four strikeouts and a walk in 7 1/3 frames for the A's, who beat Seattle 12-0 in the series opener on Friday.
"We're pitching it and playing great defense," Phegley said. "I'm excited for this team and how we battle."
In the seventh inning, Billy Butler and Cody Ross each singled to start the frame. Eric Sogard came on to pinch-run for Butler and the runners advanced on Lawrie's sacrifice bunt. Phegley's liner to right scored Sogard and tied the game at 1-1.
Semien drove a line drive toward the left-field gap to place runners at the corners and give Oakland the lead. Reliever Danny Farquhar threw out Phegley at home on a fielder's choice and got Sam Fuld to fly out to escape the inning.
With runners on second and third and two outs in the eighth, Cruz gave the Mariners a 4-2 advantage with a deep blast to left.
Mark Canha started the home half with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch and came home on Zobrist's double to the right-field corner. Zobrist moved to third on Sogard's sacrifice bunt. Carson Smith struck out pinch- hitter Ike Davis for the second out, but Lawrie drove a liner to the warning track in left for a double to tie the game at 4-4.
Zobrist opened the bottom of the 10th with a single off Olson. After a Sogard strikeout, Davis doubled off the center-field wall, but Zobrist was thrown out at home by Miller on the relay from center fielder Austin Jackson. Stephen Vogt worked a walk to load the bases, but Semien hit into a fielder's choice to leave the runners stranded.
In the second, the A's threatened with the bases loaded and two outs, but Happ got Tyler Ladendorf to ground into a forceout to end the inning.
Ackley led off the third by smacking a breaking ball over the wall in right field for the game's first run.
Game Notes
Butler is the only player in the American League to hit in all six games this season ... Gray had his streak of 20 scoreless innings end after Ackley's homer ... Jackson registered his 800th career hit ... Seattle will have its ace on the mound for the series finale Sunday as Felix Hernandez will oppose Oakland's Jesse Hahn.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.