Mariners 7, Athletics 3
Kyle Seager and Chone Figgins drove in two runs apiece as visiting Seattle ruined Oakland’s home opener.
Jason Vargas (1-0) gave up two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings with the lone blemish coming when he was touched up for a 462-foot, two-run homer off the second-deck façade in left-center field by Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes.
Figgins and Dustin Ackley each had three hits as the Mariners jumped out to a 5-0 lead en route to defeating the Athletics for the second time in three meetings this season.
Seager’s two-run single to center capped four-run third inning for Seattle. A throwing error by Oakland third baseman Josh Donaldson helped set up the big inning and allowed the first run to score. The second was plated on a sacrifice fly by Jesus Montero.
The Mariners boosted their lead to five in the fourth on a run-scoring single by Figgins before Cespedes delivered his tape-measure homer in the bottom of the inning.
Figgins executed a safety-squeeze bunt in the sixth to drive in Michael Saunders and make it 6-2, and Ichiro Suzuki hit a sacrifice fly later in the inning.
Seth Smith had an RBI single in the eighth for the Athletics.
Oakland starter Brandon McCarthy (0-1) allowed five runs - two earned - and seven hits in five innings.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Seattle had 13 hits off four Oakland pitchers. … Athletics catcher Kurt Suzuki is just 1-for-13 through three games. … Montero served as Seattle’s designated hitter after being hit in the head with a pitch in an exhibition game Monday. Miguel Olivo played catcher. … Donaldson is Oakland’s starting third baseman due to Scott Sizemore's season-ending knee injury.