Coco Crisp Walks Off As Mariners Drop First Game In Oakland

Apr 3, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics center fielder Coco Crisp (4) high fives the dugout after being batted in against the Seattle Mariners during the eighth inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Coco Crisp drilled the second pitch of the night by Hector Noesi over the right field wall for a walk-off homer in a game that will be remembered by Mariners fans for the horrible calls by the home plate umpire more than anything else. The Mariners lost in the 12th inning 3-2, in Oakland Thursday night.

Sean Barber, a Triple-A umpire who is used to fill-in at the Major League level, was proving that he belonged in Little League. There were several questionable calls in the game. Oddly enough, the one that was challenged by Oakland was correct and upheld.

On the field, Mariners starter Roenis Elias dealt with some control issues but still looked good during his Major League debut. Elias walked three and struck out three but allowed only two hits and one run in 5 IP of work.

The Mariners didn’t give Elias much to work with, scoring in the first when Abraham Almonte scored on a fielder’s choice. Almonte drove in the second run in the top of the 5th.

The Athletics almost tied it up in the 5th when Sam Fuld tripled on a ball hit to center that eluded Almonte. Nick Punto scored on the play but Logan Morrison‘s throw, relayed by Robinson Cano to catcher Mike Zunino caught Fuld out at home.

A’s manager Bob Melvin challenged the call, thinking that Zunino was blocking the plate. But upon further review, the play was upheld, proving that Zunino left Fuld a path to the plate, but the throw was in time to keep the tying run from scoring.

The A’s threatened in the 7th as Yoervis Medina gave up back-to-back walks with one out. Charlie Furbush came in allowed a single to Nick Punto after getting the second out. With the bases loaded, Furbush got Fuld to strike out to end the threat.

But in the 8th, Furbush walked Coco Crisp to lead off the inning. Lloyd McClendon went to the Pen again and brought in Tom Wilhelmsen who promptly walked Josh Donaldson with no one out. The Bartender got Jed Lowrie to ground into a double play, leaving Crisp at third with two down.

But then Yoenis Cespedes tripled in Crisp as Wilhelmsen blew the chance of Elias getting his first big league win. Danny Farquhar came in for the 9th and retired the side in order to force extra innings for the first time this year.

Now, we all now that extra inning games were not kind to the Mariners in 2013. Having a record of 6-15 last year, the Mariners were desperate to start 2014 on the right foot. But Noesi made sure the M’s pick up right where they left off in extra frames.

The series continues tomorrow night in Oakland.

BOX SCORE

Seattle Batting

BATTING
2B: Zunino (1, Chavez, J).
TB: Cano; Zunino 2; Ackley; Almonte, A 2; Morrison.
RBI: Cano (2), Almonte, A (3).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Miller, B; Morrison; Cano.
Team RISP: 1-for-9.
Team LOB: 7.

BASERUNNING
SB: Almonte, A (1, 2nd base off Doolittle/Jaso).

FIELDING
Outfield assists: Morrison (Fuld at home).
DP: 2 (Seager-Smoak, Cano-Miller, B-Smoak).

Oakland Batting

a-Walked for Norris, D in the 8th. b-Grounded out for Barton in the 8th.
1-Ran for Callaspo in the 7th.

BATTING
3B: Fuld (2, Elias), Cespedes (1, Wilhelmsen).
HR: Crisp (1, 12th inning off Noesi, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Crisp 4; Reddick; Cespedes 3; Fuld 3; Punto 2.
RBI: Fuld (2), Cespedes (3), Crisp (2).
2-out RBI: Fuld; Cespedes.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Fuld 2; Moss; Jaso.
GIDP: Lowrie.
Team RISP: 3-for-9.
Team LOB: 10.

BASERUNNING
SB: Punto (1, 2nd base off Elias/Zunino), Crisp (2, 2nd base off Wilhelmsen/Zunino).

FIELDING
E: Callaspo (2, fielding), Punto (1, throw).
DP: (Punto-Callaspo-Norris, D).

Seattle Pitching

Oakland Pitching

Furbush pitched to 1 batter in the 8th.

Pitches-strikes: Elias 80-46, Medina 27-14, Furbush 18-11, Wilhelmsen 19-10, Farquhar 39-23, Beimel 14-9, Noesi 2-2, Chavez, J 91-56, Abad 24-16, Doolittle 20-16, Gregerson 14-9, Pomeranz 15-8.
Groundouts-flyouts: Elias 3-1, Medina 2-0, Furbush 0-0, Wilhelmsen 2-0, Farquhar 0-2, Beimel 0-1, Noesi 0-0, Chavez, J 9-3, Abad 3-0, Doolittle 1-2, Gregerson 1-0, Pomeranz 1-2.
Batters faced: Elias 18, Medina 6, Furbush 4, Wilhelmsen 5, Farquhar 7, Beimel 5, Noesi 1, Chavez, J 25, Abad 7, Doolittle 7, Gregerson 3, Pomeranz 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Furbush 2-0, Wilhelmsen 1-1, Beimel 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Sean Barber. 1B: Fieldin Culbreth. 2B: Manny Gonzalez. 3B: Jim Reynolds.
Weather: 55 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 7 mph, Out to RF.
Venue: O.co Coliseum.
April 3, 2014

Seattle Batting

Oakland Batting

Seattle Pitching

Oakland Pitching