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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Harden extends scoreless streak, blanks M”s


Rich Harden extended his scoreless innings streak to 15 with seven shutout innings in a 3-0 win over Seattle. 
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Joe Roderick Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.)

SEATTLE – Oakland A’s manager Ken Macha wanted to make a point in his pre-game briefing with reporters, and he did not hesitate to do so.

“The play of our middle infielders has been tremendous,” he said.

Macha was referring, of course, to second baseman Mark Ellis and shortstop Marco Scutaro.

Right on cue, the two validated his point during a 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night at Safeco Field. The A’s earned a split in the two-game series and were off to Anaheim to face the defending American League West champion Angels in a three-game series that begins tonight.

Seattle will continue its homestand with three games against Cleveland.

Ellis and Scutaro did just enough to help the A’s win after a disappointing one-run loss the night before. Ellis ripped an RBI triple to score the A’s first run in the second inning. In the following inning, Scutaro began a two-run rally with a sharp single to center. He scored on the next pitch, when Mark Kotsay hit a two-run homer to right.

The infielders also played their usual terrific defense.

The A’s didn’t muster much offense, but it was enough for Rich Harden, who pitched another gem. He didn’t allow a run in seven innings, extending his scoreless streak to 15 innings.

Ellis, Scutaro and Kotsay are the only A’s regulars hitting better than .300. It seems just about everyone else is in the low- to mid-.200s.

“Kudos to Scutaro – both of them,” Macha said of his infielders. “Ellis – no one felt he’d recover from his (shoulder) injury. He’s swinging the bat tremendously. Scutaro filled in at second base last year (for Ellis) and he’s meant so much to the organization. Then our shortstop (Bobby Crosby) goes down and he’s out there doing it again.

“He’s been walking, showing patience at the plate and hitting the ball the other way.”

The ironic thing is, Scutaro was perhaps a day away from being demoted to Triple-A Sacramento. The A’s needed to clear a roster spot for pitcher Kirk Saarloos on the third day of the season, and it was going to be at the expense of Scutaro. But Crosby suffered a stress fracture of the ninth and 10th ribs on Opening Day and was placed on the disabled list two days later.

Crosby almost surely will be out until late May.

Scutaro went 1 for 3 and is hitting .326. Ellis, who went 1 for 4, is also hitting .326.

“I take my hat off to him,” Macha said of Scutaro. “He had a tough task, what was looming over his head, of possibly not making the team. With his unsure situation in spring training and to keep a level head, that’s a lot of credit to his makeup.”

Harden has been unquestionably the team’s best starting pitcher, and that’s saying something considering Joe Blanton has a 2.04 ERA and Dan Haren a 2.37 mark.

Harden allowed five hits while throwing 119 pitches against the Mariners. He’s allowed one run in 20 1/3 inning this year – a 0.44 ERA.

Meanwhile, Charles Thomas’ struggles continued. The A’s outfielder went hitless in three at-bats and is 0 for 21, the most at-bats for a player without a hit in the major leagues this season.