OAKLAND — Seattle Mariners manage Lloyd McClendon won a key replay challenge on Saturday that helped keep the eighth inning alive long enough for Nelson Cruz to hit a three-run homer.
Austin Jackson was at first after a one-out single when Justin Ruggiano batted for Seth Smith against Oakland A’s lefty reliever Eric O’Flaherty.
Ruggiano hit a bouncer back to the mound that could have been an inning-ending double play, but O’Flaherty’s throw to second pulled shortstop Marcus Semien away from the bag.
Semien made a stab at the base before bouncing a throw to first. Initially, umpire Tripp Gibson ruled Jackson was out. But McClendon challenged the call.
“The way it was explained to us in spring training,” McClendon said, “if there’s an errant throw, then the neighborhood play is out. That throw didn’t take him to the bag. It took him away from the bag.”
The call was overturned. Cruz hit a three-run homer later in the inning.
Sucre plays
Backup catcher Jesus Sucre started Saturday, after four games of inactivity, and became the Mariners’ last position player to see action.
Utilityman Willie Bloomquist played the entire game Friday after not playing in the three-game series against the Angels.
McClendon said he is targeting “130 to 135 games” for starting catcher Mike Zunino, which roughly puts Sucre on a once-a-week plan.
Looking back
It was 19 years ago Sunday — April 12, 1996 — that Ken Griffey Jr. hit two home runs in a 9-6 victory at Toronto.
His second homer, a three-run monster drive in the seventh inning against Giovanni Carrara, hit above the Hard Rock Cafe in the upper deck in right field at the Skydome.
Short hops
Rookie Tyler Olson got his first career major-league victory. … Lefty J.A. Happ has a 1.33 ERA (three earned runs in 201/3 innings) in three career starts against Oakland. … Reliever Charlie Furbush turned 29 on Saturday. Pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma and outfielder Justin Ruggiano have birthdays on Sunday. Iwakuma will be 34, and Ruggiano will be 33. … Outfielder Austin Jackson collected his 800th career hit with a one-out single in the eighth inning against Athletics starter Sonny Gray. Jackson’s first hit came April 5, 2010 for Detroit against Kansas City’s Robinson Tejeda.
On tap
The Mariners turn to their ace, right-hander Felix Hernandez, when they complete their three-game weekend series against the Athletics at 1:07 p..m. Sunday at the O.co Coliseum.
Hernandez, 1-0, held the Angels to one run over seven innings last Monday in a 4-1 victory in the season opener at Safeco Field. Oakland will start right-hander Jesse Hahn, 0-1.
The game can be seen on Root Sports and heard on 710 ESPN.
Bob Dutton, The News Tribune
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