Game recap: Mariners 4, Athletics 3

Takeaway

A throwing error by C Stephen Vogt allowed in what proved to be the winning run in the seventh inning as the Mariners (14-11) prevailed over the Athletics 4-3 in Oakland Monday night, Seattle’s 12th win in its past 17 games (box). Nathan Karns gave up two home runs to Khris Davis, but otherwise had a solid start, while relievers Vidal Nuno, Nick Vincent, Joel Peralta and Steve Cishek shut down the A’s late.

Essential moment

With one out in the seventh and a 3-1 Seattle lead, LF Norichika Aoki doubled, chasing starter Kendall  Graveman. With RF Seth Smith facing reliever Mark Rzepczynski, Aoki took off for third and slid head first, while Vogt’s throw bounced past 3B Mark Canha down the left field line. Aoki scored easily.

Pitching

Besides two curve balls up to Davis that went yard for all three A’s runs, Karns allowed only four other hits, walked one and struck out five. But he left two on and no one out in the seventh when he was pulled. Nuno got one out and Vincent two to close out the inning.

Cishek earned his seventh save in seven tries, but not before Vogt in the ninth got aboard by swinging at a third strike that was also a wild pitch that C Chris Iannetta could not catch.  After a pinch-runner stole second and Chris Coghlan walked, Cishek struck out Jed Lowrie.

Hitting

2B Robinson Cano and DH Nelson Cruz both had three hits. In the fourth, each singled, and Cano came home on a single by 1B Adam Lind to tie the game at 1. In the sixth, 3B Kyle Seager hit a two-out double to score Cano for a 2-1 lead, then was driven home by a single from Iannetta.

Words

“Karns gave us a great outing, we put some hits together and our bullpen came in and got some big outs.” — Mariners manager Scott Servais

Noteworthy

Oakland leads the American League in errors with 20  . . . Cano’s fourth-inning double was the 450th of his career. He’s the fifth second baseman in MLB history with 2,000 hits, 450 doubles, 200 home runs and 1,000 RBIs. The others are Roberto Alomar, Craig BIggio, Jeff Kent and Rogers Hornsby.

Next

In the series’ second game at 7 p.m. Tuesday, RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (0-3, 4.65 ERA) is after his first win in six starts. The A’s send out ace Sonny Gray (3-2, 3.81). who is 4-1 with a 2.14 ERA in nine career starts against Seattle.