OAKLAND - The ending could have gone better for the A's on Sunday, but at this stage of their season, success isn't judged solely by what the scoreboard reads.
Rookie Raul Alcantara fashinoned an impressive turnaround from his shaky major league debut, pitching into the sixth inning in the A's 3-2 defeat that completed a three-game sweep by the Seattle Mariners.
It was a 2-2 game when the Mariners broke through against A's closer Ryan Madson in the top of the ninth. Three consecutive hits, including Ketel Marte's run-scoring single to center, made the difference as Seattle continued its dominance at the Coliseum. The Mariners have won 12 of the past 13 meetings between the teams in Oakland.
The A's scored both of their runs in the bottom of the second to knot the score after the Mariners scored twice in the top half. Besides those two runs, the 23-year-old Alcantara gave an impressive showing in this late-season audition in the A's rotation. He figures to stay there as Oakland plans to utilize a six-man rotation the rest of the way.
Starting pitching report:
Alcantara said after his debut that nerves didn't get the best of him in that first outing, but the results suggested otherwise after he hit three batters and couldn't muster his command in three innings against the Angels. He was clearly a different pitcher in his second start, and it began with a 1-2-3 top of the first that included a strikeout of Robinson Cano on a nasty changeup. The only damage off Alcantara came on Mike Zunino's two-run homer in the second, when he connected on a 1-2 pitch. The right-hander went 5 2/3 innings and gave up just the two runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out four.
Oakland Athletics
Bullpen report:
Ryan Dull entered in the sixth and stranded runners on second and third, retiring Zunino on a pop-up. Then Sean Doolittle and Liam Hendriks transferred the 2-2 tie to Madson in the ninth. The A's closer hadn't given up a run over his last 12 games, but Seattle got to him quickly for their go-ahead rally.
At the plate:
The A's tied it in the second after Khris Davis, Ryon Healy and Stephen Vogt all singled to load the bases. Brett Eibner then worked a run-scoring walk from James Paxton and Yonder Alonso delivered a sacrifice fly to tie it. With a runner at third, Chad Pinder grounded into a double play to keep it 2-2.
In the field:
Eibner, drawing a start in center, showed some nice athleticism when he ranged to his left and made a sliding catch to rob Dae-Ho Lee in the eighth. Pinder and Alonso teamed up for a great play to get Seth Smith on a grounder up the middle in the first. Pinder later made a throwing error that didn't cost a run.
Attendance:
A crowd of 13,610 was on hand.
Up next:
The A's hit the road for a seven-game road trip, beginning with four in Kansas City. It begins Monday, with Ross Detwiler (1-3, 5.15) matching up against Dillon Gee (6-7, 4.34). The A's pitchers are TBA for the next three games, with the Royals throwing lefty Danny Duffy (11-2, 3.13) on Tuesday, Yordano Ventura (10-10, 4.26) on Wednesday and Edinson Volquez (10-10, 5.09) on Thursday. The A's tentative plan is to start Jharel Cotton on Tuesday and Sean Manaea on Wednesday. All four games will begin at 4:15 p.m.
