Pratt's Instant Replay: Athletics 4, Mariners 1

BOX SCORE

OAKLAND -- The A's waited until the 11th inning to extend their home run streak to a 16th consecutive game. This time it was a walk-off pinch-hit blast by Chris Carter that was crushed about 10 rows deep into the left field bleachers. The A's have won five-straight games and have reached .500 defeating the Mariners 4-1. At the PlateThe A's had trouble solving Kevin Millwood. They collected a hit in the first and second innings and then didn't record another hit until the sixth inning. The veteran pitcher held the A's to three hits over seven innings of work. He left the game with 95 pitches. The only time an A's runner got to second base off Millwood was when he walked Josh Reddick and Seth Smith in the fourth inning. When the Mariners removed Millwood, the A's offense came to life. Brandon Hicks smacked a pinch-hit double off the highest part of the right field wall. With two outs and switch-hitter Jemile Weeks stepping to the plate, Mariners manager Eric Wedge decided to bring in his right-handed closer Tom Wilhelmsen to turn around Weeks. The strategy failed as Weeks smacked a game-tying RBI-single. Yoenis Cespedes drew an eight-pitch walk to lead off the ninth inning. He then stole second base to get into scoring position. It was Cespedes' fifth stolen base of the season and his first since April 22 -- a good sign his left hamstring is fully healed. He would never come around to score though. Brandon Inge grounded out to short to end the inning. Hicks drew a four-pitch walk to start the 10th inning. He was bunted to second on a sacrifice by Coco Crisp. Weeks lined out to shortstop Munenori Kawasaki, who doubled off Hicks after he mistakenly took off running on the play. For the third straight inning, the A's got their leadoff hitter aboard in the 11th when Reddick blooped a single to shallow left field. Smith followed up with a check-swing infield single to third. Then Carter came in as a pinch hitter and launched a ball into orbit. Starting Pitching ReportTommy Milone struck out the side in the seventh inning, reaching a career-high nine strikeouts. He exited the game with 107 pitches. He allowed six hits, walking one batter. He allowed just one run over seven innings of work. A's starting pitchers have allowed one run or fewer in each of their last seven games which is the best streak in Oakland history. The last time A's starting pitchers allowed one run or fewer in more than six consecutive games was in 1966 when the Kansas City A's did it eight games in a row. Milone got off to a rough start in the first inning. He gave up three singles, the last one an RBI by Kyle Seager. The rookie left-handed pitcher settled down after that, retiring 11 of the next 12 Mariners batters. He retired the Mariners on just six pitches in the third inning. Bullpen ReportSean Doolittle pitched a hitless eighth inning. He threw 12 pitches and didn't record a strikeout. Ryan Cook pitched the ninth inning. He got out of the frame without allowing a run. It got a little dicey when Carlos Peguero hit a triple after Yoenis Cespedes attempted to make a diving catch and missed. Cook was able to get Dustin Ackley to ground out to end the threat. Grant Balfour pitched a perfect 10th inning. Jordan Norberto destroyed the Mariners hitters, striking out the side in the 11th. Norberto was credited with his first win of the season.
In the FieldThe Mariners were threatening in the sixth inning when Justin Smoak hit a ball to left field. Cespedes ran in and made the catch. It wasn't a particularly stellar catch, but it is important to note that Cespedes never hesitated, he made a perfect read on the ball as he ran in and caught it. In the ninth inning Cespedes got another good read on a ball hit to left. He tried to dive for the ball though and missed. It resulted in a two-out triple.AttendanceThe A's announced an attendance of 10,819. Dot RaceRed wins the dot race. The Red Sox are gone to the Red dot is allowed to win again. Up NextThe A's face Jason Vargas (7-7, 4.31 ERA) for their third time. Vargas is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA against Oakland this season. Jarrod Parker (5-3, 2.46) will be starting for the A's. He allowed one run against Boston in his last start, becoming the first player since 1918 to allow one run or less in 10 of his first 14 career starts.