Oakland rides youngsters to win over division rival

By GLENN REEVES
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

last updated: July 08, 2008 09:28:36 AM

OAKLAND -- Wes Bankston, Gregorio Petit and Brad Ziegler -- all newcomers to the Oakland A's -- were key contributors in a 4-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners in front of 11,129 at the McAfee Coliseum on Monday night.

Bankston, called up from Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday, delivered his first major league home run in his first game in Oakland, driving the first pitch he saw from Jarrod Washburn in the fifth inning to left-center to bring the A's even with the Mariners at 3-3.

The blast also scored Carlos Gonzalez, who had reached on a bunt single. Then Petit, recalled Saturday after Bobby Crosby went on the disabled list, doubled to left-center and scored on Ryan Sweeney's two-out single to give the A's a 4-3 lead.

Seattle loaded the bases with one out in the sixth off Oakland starter Dana Eveland (7-5), and Ziegler came on to induce an inning-ending double-play ball hit by Jose Lopez.

The sidearming Ziegler, who then pitched a scoreless seventh and got one out in the eighth, extended his career-opening scoreless streak to 18 innings, the most in Oakland history, surpassing Steve Chitren's 1613.

Alan Embree came on to get the last two outs of the eighth for his 16th hold of the season.

Huston Street pitched the ninth for his 17th save, though not without a scare. Ichiro Suzuki had a one-out infield single and advanced to second on third baseman Jack Hannahan's throwing error, and Lopez drew a walk. Raul Ibanez popped out to third, and Adrian Beltre, who had four hits in his first four at-bats, flied out to left to end the game.

Bankston, a former standout high school quarterback in the Dallas area who had committed to play football at the University of Texas before signing a baseball contract as the fourth-round draft choice of Tampa Bay in 2002, had 14 homers and 51 RBI at Sacramento before his call-up.

"He's swinging the bat real well," A's manager Bob Geren said before Monday's game. "He still looks like he's seeing the ball well."

Is he ever. Bankston is hitting .391 with nine hits in 23 at-bats with the A's. Eveland, the toughest pitcher to hit a home run off of in baseball, gave up a three-run shot to Richie Sexson in the first inning.

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