A's chase Felix in twin-bill opener, but fall in extras

OAKLAND -- The A's were on the verge of dealing Felix Hernandez his first loss at the Coliseum in more than five years Wednesday. But the Mariners wouldn't let that happen, staging a comeback against an Oakland team that has dropped three straight to them.

The A's 6-4, 10-inning loss to Seattle in the first game of a traditional doubleheader was their fifth overall in the last six games. Each one, it seems, is more frustrating than the last.

Ryan Cook took the loss and also exited with a forearm strain, six innings after Coco Crisp was lifted with a neck strain.

Cook allowed a leadoff single to Michael Saunders, who stole second and advanced to third on Stefen Romero's sacrifice bunt. Following an intentional walk to Robinson Cano, Cook fanned Corey Hart, but winced on a third-strike slider and immediately left the game. Dan Otero came in and surrendered a go-ahead RBI single to Justin Smoak that deflected off the glove of leaping first baseman Daric Barton.

Kyle Seager added an insurance run with an RBI single, capping off a forgettable game for the A's, who are 6-10 since starting the year 13-5.

"It's frustrating," said manager Bob Melvin. "We actually had good at-bats against Felix from the first inning on. Squared some balls up and hit some balls hard at people on top of it. Our approach was really good on him today. We just let it slip away in the later innings, which we feel good anytime our bullpen's in the game late." 

Hernandez has dominated the A's in their home confines, entering Wednesday with a 10-game unbeaten streak at the park. So for them to tag him for four runs and 11 hits and exit with a loss is mightily maddening.

Hernandez didn't even fan a single batter.

How rare is that?

In 276 previous starts, the only time he had pitched at least five innings without recording a strikeout was Aug. 19, 2008, in a loss to the White Sox.

The A's have swung and missed aplenty against Seattle's ace, including 19 times in 15 1/3 innings in his other two starts against them this year.

On Wednesday, Oakland recorded three hits in the first inning and finally broke through in the fourth for a run. The A's notched three more in the seventh, highlighted by John Jaso's RBI single and a run-scoring triple from Brandon Moss, which chased Hernandez.

"We just had good approaches and made him work," said Melvin. "You always try to get him up. His changeup's his pitch that you end up swinging at a lot below the zone, so you try to get him up in the zone. We had a good approach off him the whole game."

Seattle came back with a run in the eighth on Cano's RBI single off righty Luke Gregerson. The run was charged to lefty Fernando Abad, who was riding a season-opening scoreless streak of 14 1/3 innings.

Oakland righty Dan Straily allowed solo home runs to Hart and Mike Zunino in six innings, giving up a total of three runs with four walks and three strikeouts.

He lasted just 4 1/3 innings in his last start in Boston.

"Obviously four walks aren't good, but my command was a lot better," said Straily. "Just getting ahead, staying within myself. Didn't really change anything between starts, I was just better."

He has allowed nine home runs, more than any other American League starter.

"Obviously I'd like to have no home runs given up, but that's not the case," he said. "You look up there and see three hits and three runs, it's got to stop. But I can't say it's a concern. Nothing I can do to really change it. Just have a short memory and just move forward."