GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: AL: SEATTLE (46-35) at OAKLAND (43-41)

Athletics use late home runs to sink Mariners

<h3>OAKLAND 3, SEATTLE 2</h3>OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Oakland Athletics providedChad Gaudin with just enough offense.

Bobby Crosby belted a go-ahead home run in the sixth inning andGaudin pitched 7 2/3 quality innings as the Athletics defeatedthe Seattle Mariners, 3-2, in the opener of a three-game setThursday.

Gaudin (8-3), who entered having allowed three runs or fewer in14 of his 17 starts, held the Mariners in check, yielding justtwo runs while scattering eight hits in 7 2/3 innings. Hewalked three and struck out four.

"It was a real nice win," Athletics manager Bob Geren said. "Itwas clean all the way around. Pitching, timely hitting. Itwas a good win for us. Against a team that's ahead of us in thedivision, that was big for us tonight."

Gaudin, who replaced injured starter Esteban Loaiza in therotation at the beginning of the season, has allowed just fivehome runs all season - the lowest mark in the American league.

"I had to attack the zone, and I though I was able to do that,"Gaudin said. "Early on those guys were a little more patientthan I expected, but I just stuck to the plan. Those guys gotsome key hits for us and it turned out to be a good game."

"Chad Gaudin threw the ball really well," Geren said. "He gaveup a couple runs but just battled the rest of the game. It wasa super performance."

With the Athletics trailing, 2-1, in the sixth, Nick Swisher ledoff the frame by belting a 1-0 offering from Batista over theright field wall. It was Swisher's 11th home run of the seasonand his first in 15 games.

"I'd been scratching and clawing," Swisher said. "Today was<div class="pre">kind of big turning point for me. I hit two balls on the</div>button today. If I can just take the consistent approach that Ihave been, things will be all right."

Crosby put Oakland ahead for good with two outs in the frame bybelting a solo shot to left-center. It was his seventh homer ofthe season and first since June 9.

"It felt really good," Crosby said. "I've been trying differentthings lately to get a different feel. Lately I've beenpulling off the ball, and tonight I was just trying to go theother way. Hopefully this will start things in the rightdirection."

Santiago Casilla bridged the gap to Alan Embree, who recordedhis ninth save of the season.

Jose Guillen contributed three hits and a run scored forSeattle, which entered having won nine of its last 11.

Seattle opened the scoring in the first inning when Guillensingled down the third base line off Gaudin, scoring Jose Vidrofrom second for a 1-0 edge.

Adrian Beltre lined a single to left plating Guillen from secondin the fourth for a 2-1 advantage.

Seattle starter Miguel Batista (8-7) also went 7 2/3 innings,allowing three runs and six hits. He struck out five and walkedthree but was frustrated by giving up the two homers.

"They weren't bad pitches at all," Batista said. "Stupiddecisions I would say. I should have just stuck with my gameplan. That's what cost me the game. They were two goodpitches, I just should have thrown something else."

Shannon Stewart extended his hitting streak to 11 games forOakland.

Seattle manager John McLaren, who was managing in just hisfourth game after the surprise resignation of Mike Hargrove overthe weekend, is now 1-3 as the Mariners' skipper.

"Miggy (Batista) threw the ball really well," Mariners managerJohn McLaren said. "He gave up a couple of home runs, but keptus in the ballgame. He gave us a chance to win, but we couldn'tget anything going tonight."