Seattle 5 at Athletics 4 - Recap

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Seattle Mariners had dropped three straight games, including a disheartening 12-0 loss to Oakland, going into Saturday afternoon's game against the Athletics.

The Mariners needed to bounce back, and they did, thanks in large part to shortstop Brad Miller.

Miller drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI double in the top of the 11th inning and the Mariners held on for a 5-4 victory at O.co Coliseum. In the bottom of the 10th, Miller produced a game-saving defensive gem, cutting down A's right fielder Ben Zobrist at the plate on a relay to catcher Mike Zunino.

"Last night we got punched in the face, and we got hit in the mouth today as well," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. "I thought our guys rebounded and did a little punching of their own. This shows the type of fortitude that this club has because that was a gut-wrenching type of game and they really battled and really continued to fight and came out on top in the end."

First baseman Logan Morrison led off the top of the 11th inning with a single against A's left-hander Fernando Abad. Morrison moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Miller's opposite-field double down the left-field line.

"Abad's pretty tough," Miller said. "He's pitched me pretty tough so I was just trying to get something out in front. He left something over the plate and I was able to stay on it. It felt good."

Mariners closer Fernando Rodney pitched a perfect 11th for his second save of the season. Rookie reliever Tyler Olson got his first major-league win.

The A's nearly ended the game in the 10th when first baseman Ike Davis doubled off the left-center wall against Olson, with Zobrist on first base. But Zobrist was gunned down at home on a relay from centerfielder Austin Jackson to Miller to Zunino.

"God knows we worked on that relay stuff enough in spring training," McClendon said. "It was a great throw and a great pick by Zunino. I'm glad we put the work in because it paid off."

Mariners' right fielder Nelson Cruz hit a three-run homer in the eighth, his first blast of the year, and left fielder Dustin Ackley had a solo home run in the third. Cruz was 1-for-15 going into the game but went 3-for-5.

"You always want to be in that situation," a relieved Cruz said of his home run. "When you deliver it feels pretty good. It was nice to get it going."

A's right-hander Sonny Gray allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits over 7 1/3 innings in a no-decision. He struck out four and walked one.

Gray said he felt a little ill before the game but that "adrenaline" took over once he got on the mound.

"I thought this game might be a grind," Gray said. "I could tell warming up in the bullpen. I knew after the solo home run if I could keep them there we'd eventually get back in it. We did that in the seventh but weren't able to finish it. There were so many things I felt that didn't go our way and we still had a chance."

Mariners left-hander J.A. Happ gave up two runs on seven hits over 6 1/3 innings in his Mariners debut but didn't figure in the decision either.

The Mariners took a 1-0 lead when Ackley led off the top of the third with a home run to right field off Gray. That blast ended Gray's career-high, 20-inning scoreless streak, dating to Sept. 23, 2014. Gray pitched eight innings of one-hit ball in his first start this season, an 8-0 victory against Texas on Opening Night.

Happ blanked the A's on three hits through six innings, but they struck for two runs in the seventh inning, taking a 2-1 lead and knocking him out of the game.

Designated hitter Billy Butler and right fielder Cody Ross hit back-to-back singles leading off the seventh. After Ross' single, second baseman Eric Sogard pinch-ran for Butler, and third baseman Brett Lawrie advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt.

Catcher Josh Phegley lined an RBI single to right, scoring Sogard as Ross moved to third. Then shortstop Marcus Semien drove in Ross with a sharp single to center, ending Happ's day.

The Mariners scored three times in the top of the eighth, moving back ahead 4-2. After Jackson singled with one out, left-handed reliever Eric O'Flaherty replaced Gray. Pinch-hitter Justin Ruggiano hit what looked to be a sure double-play ground ball to O'Flaherty, but he threw wide left of second base to Semien.

Semien appeared to salvage a force-out at second as second-base umpire Tripp Gibson called Jackson out. But after a review of 3:28, the call was reversed, and Jackson was ruled safe because Semien's foot never touched the base before he bounced a late throw to first.

The so-called "neighborhood play" at second base is not reviewable, but crew chief Brian Gorman told a pool reporter that the neighborhood play did not apply because of O'Flaherty's off-target throw.

"It's got to be a true throw to second base in order for it to be categorized a neighborhood play," Gorman said.

O'Flaherty retired Robinson Cano on a ground ball to first base as the runners advanced. But right-hander Dan Otero came on and Cruz crushed a 1-1 fastball three-run homer into the left-field seats.

"Going in I knew first base was open," Otero said. "Once it got to 1-1 I was going to try and come in on him, but it stayed right there. It wasn't a terrible pitch, but unfortunately in that situation it turned out that way."

NOTES: Mariners RF Seth Smith was in the starting lineup after missing three games with a groin injury; he served as the designated hitter. Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said Smith could have played in the outfield if needed. "Everything's fine," he said. ... Athletics RF Josh Reddick (strained right oblique) was scheduled to play his third straight rehab game for Class A Stockton on Saturday, and A's manager Bob Melvin said "there's a good chance he'll be activated" Sunday. ... Mariners C Jesus Sucre made his first start of the season in place of Mike Zunino. Sucre became the final position player on Seattle's active roster to see game action. ... Oakland RHP Jarrod Parker will pitch three innings Monday in an extended spring training game in Arizona as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in March 2014.