Athletics pound on Mariners

OAKLAND, Calif. – Hisashi Iwakuma has been so good for so long that Sunday’s outing seems like some sort of aberration. Iwakuma lost for the first time since April 23 as the Seattle Mariners dropped a 10-2 decision to the Oakland Athletics. “He’s not going to be perfect every time,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. Iwakuma (7-2) gave up four runs – just the second time he’s allowed more than three runs in a game – on a season high-tying eight hits. He went five innings, matching his season low, walking three and striking out three. Iwakuma’s streak of not allowing an earned run was stopped at 312/3 innings, second longest in Mariners’ history to Mark Langston’s 34-inning streak in 1988. “You guys could see that the pitches they hit were up in the strike zone,” Iwakuma said. “That was the adjustment I couldn’t make. They were being very aggressive early in the count and that’s what got me.” The outing also ended the Mariners starter’s streak of eight straight quality starts, including allowing one run or less in seven of those games. Seattle starters had allowed two earned runs in their last 48 innings before the A’s scored in the fourth. Endy Chavez had two hits and drove in two runs for the Mariners, who were looking for their first sweep of the season. Iwakuma allowed his first earned run since May 26 when the A’s got to him in the fourth. Josh Donaldson and Seth Smith hit back-to-back doubles to open the inning and Reddick, who had four hits, followed with an RBI single.