SEATTLE — Although Chris Smith didn’t get the decision in his first major league start, Ryon Healy made sure Oakland’s 36-year-old right-hander contributed to an Athletics victory.
Healy bounced a ground-rule RBI double to right-center with two outs in the ninth inning Saturday night to give the A’s a 4-3 win over the Seattle Mariners after Smith pitched six solid innings.
“That was like a personal goal. Walking to the field today, you think about it and I said if I can get six innings, three runs in the big leagues, that’s a quality start,” said Smith, called up Saturday from Triple-A Nashville. “It’s a little different in the minor leagues, but to do it in the big leagues, that was like a good personal pat on the back.”
Rajai Davis opened the ninth with a slow-rolling infield single to third off Edwin Diaz (2-4), who relieved to open the inning. Davis stole second as Matt Joyce struck out. Yonder Alonso was walked intentionally with two outs and Healy then ripped an 0-2 slider into the gap.
“I was one pitch away and I missed that slider,” Diaz said. “I threw a fastball up and in, and he looked back. I was supposed to go with the fastball again, but I decided to throw the slider, but I missed in the middle and he hit it pretty good.”
Sean Doolittle (1-0) pitched the eighth for the victory. Santiago Casilla finished for his 15th save, despite allowing a two-out double.
Alonso and Marcus Semien had solo homers for the Athletics off rookie Andrew Moore, who allowed three runs in six innings in his third start.
Smith, called up from Triple-A Nashville, made his first major league start after 63 relief appearances. He left after six innings tied 3-3. The right-hander allowed six hits, struck out four and walked one. Smith’s career record remains 1-0 with a victory in relief in 2008 with Boston.
“I was hoping to get him into the sixth today and he gave us six and allowed us to go to the three guys that we go to to tie or win games,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. “He did every bit of his job and probably a little bit more. It was fun to see.”
Semien, activated off the disabled list Thursday after missing 74 games, snapped a 2-2 tie in the fifth with his first homer, a one-out solo shot.
Jarrod Dyson knotted it 3-3 when he opened the bottom half with his fifth home run.
Oakland took a 1-0 lead in the second on singles by Healy, Bruce Maxwell and Jaycob Brugman and made it to 2-0 in the third on Alonso’s 20th homer.
Seattle tied it in the bottom half on doubles by Dyson and Jean Segura and Ben Gamel’s RBI single.
Mariners right fielder Mitch Haniger saved at least one run in the fourth with a running grab of Davis’ drive deep into the corner to end the inning with two aboard.
“It might be one and done, so I was really enjoying it,” Smith said. “But, at the same time, I was really trying to lock it in. I can go from zero to 100 in the blink of an eye, so I had to slow myself down. Really take it in, but really know that, hey, I’ve got a job to do.”
ATHLETICS MOVES
C Josh Phegley was reinstated from the paternity list after missing three games. … C Ryan Lavarnway, who was called up from Nashville on Wednesday, was designated for assignment. … SS Franklin Barretto was optioned to Nashville. Baretto hit .190 with two homers and four RBIs in 11 games with Oakland.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: INF Shawn O’Malley (recovering appendix surgery) made his first two rehab appearances in the Arizona rookie league, both times in the leadoff spot as DH. He went 2 for 2 on Friday with a triple, and three walks. O’Malley had one hit in three at-bats Saturday with an RBI.
UP NEXT:
Athletics: Rookie RHP Daniel Gossett (1-3, 6.23 ERA) closes out the four-game series on Sunday at Safeco Field. He has walked just three in 26 innings in his five starts since being called up, but has allowed seven homers.
Mariners: RHP Felix Hernandez (3-3, 5.04 ERA) makes his fourth start since coming off the DL on June 23. The longtime ace, who entered the season with a career 3.16 ERA, is 1-1 with a 5.50 ERA since return after missing almost two months with right shoulder inflammation.
