A’s rookie stifles Mariners

SEATTLE – Tommy Milone became the first Oakland Athletics rookie to earn eight wins before the All-Star break by beating the Seattle Mariners 1-0 on Monday night. Milone (8-5) allowed seven hits, struck out five and didn’t walk anyone in his second straight superb outing. The left-hander threw the first complete game by a rookie in the majors this season in a three-hit victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers last Wednesday. Grant Balfour pitched one inning, and Ryan Cook finished in the ninth for his fifth save in seven opportunities. Seth Smith hit a first-pitch fastball from Erasmo Ramirez (0-2) 418 feet to center field with one out in the second inning to provide all the offense. It was his eighth homer of the season. Milone, who came to the A’s in an offseason trade with Washington, had been in a tie with Rick Langford for rookie wins before the break. Langford had seven in 1977. Ramirez, in his third career start, gave up three hits in his seven innings. He walked one and struck out a career-high 10. Coming into the game, Ramirez had only 13 strikeouts in his previous 10 appearances. It was the ninth time this season the Mariners have been shut out. Seattle has lost 10 of 15 and has gone 23 innings without scoring a run. Oakland tossed its eighth shutout and won for the 10th time in 13 games. Over the previous eight games, A’s starters had allowed four hits or fewer. It was the longest streak since the team relocated to Oakland and matched the longest in franchise history, set in 1921. Jesus Montero singled to start the fourth inning on Monday for the fifth hit against Milone. The Mariners, who had a pair of singles in the fourth, still couldn’t score. With runners on first and second and one out, Miguel Olivo ended the threat by hitting into a double play.