Designated hitter Shea Langeliers and right fielder Carlos Cortes followed with singles to load the bases. Cortes’ hit was a searing line drive comebacker that was ruled a hit due to it somehow ending up in Gilbert’s jersey, not his glove. What do you think about that play?

Did the umpires correctly rule it a hit or should it have been an out?okayyyy 🤷 pic.twitter.com/pbArL8UqzK— Athletics (@Athletics) April 22, 2026Left fielder Tyler Soderstrom’s sacrifice fly and second baseman Jeff McNeil’s RBI single gave the A’s an early 2-0 lead. The boys gettin' started 👏 pic.twitter.com/uruc9cSx70— Athletics (@Athletics) April 22, 2026In the bottom of the first, the Mariners immediately responded against A’s starting pitcher Aaron Civale. They loaded the bases on three singles and then halved the deficit on left fielder Randy Arozarena’s sacrifice fly.

Civale escaped further damage by striking out right fielder Dominic Canzone to end the inning and strand the bases loaded.In the second inning, the A’s threatened to score again. They got two runners on base, only for Langeliers to hit a rocket line drive right to the Mariners third baseman to end the inning. Following a one-two-three second inning of work for Civale, his team increased its lead in the third.

Cortes recorded his second single in two at-bats. Two batters later, he came around to score on shortstop Jacob Wilson’s RBI double past the diving third baseman down the left field line. J Willy's RBI double adds to the A's lead 😎 pic.twitter.com/SOMkbNIa02— Athletics on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) April 22, 2026The A’s had a chance to score more, but Gilbert got catcher Austin Wynns to fly out with the bases loaded and two outs.

Earlier in the inning, Mariners second baseman Cole Young’s outstanding defensive play likely robbed McNeil of his second RBI single of the game.For the second time in three innings, Civale unsuccessfully pitched a shutdown inning. Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who hit an MLB record for a catcher 60 home runs last season, connected for a solo home run in the third inning, his third in three games and fifth of the season. The Mariners left the tying run on second, yet inched closer once again.

Gilbert pitched four innings with the Mariners turning things over to their bullpen in the fifth inning. His performance today was a far cry from what the team normally expects from him. In five starts against the A’s over the last two seasons, Gilbert had compiled a 1.99 ERA with 42 strikeouts and two walks allowed.The Athletics wasted another scoring opportunity in the fifth inning as center fielder Lawrence Butler struck out with two guys on and two outs.

Seattle’s hard-throwing left-handed reliever Jose Ferrer got through that inning and the next, keeping his team’s deficit at one. However, the hosts would not score any more against Civale, who only gave up two runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings. Civale struck out five and most importantly ended his outing retiring seven of his final eight hitters faced.

With two lefties due up and a runner on first, A’s manager Mark Kotsay summoned recently promoted left-handed reliever Brady Basso to make his season debut. In response, the Mariners called upon two right-handed hitters to pinch hit. Mitch Garver doubled and then Rob Refsnyder hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Basso’s inherited runner to tie the game at three apiece.

The Mariners had a chance to take their first lead of the game with a runner on third and two outs, but Basso got the next hitter he faced to line out to keep the game tied.In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Mariners took a 4-3 lead. Facing Athletics reliever Mark Leiter Jr, Seattle’s shortstop JP Crawford singled to right and then Raleigh hit a line drive to right that Cortes misplayed, resulting in a double. With runners on third and second and one out, center fielder Julio Rodríguez hit a grounder that was snagged by A’s shortstop Wilson. His only play was to first, allowing Crawford to score the go-ahead run.The eighth inning was scoreless, though the Mariners threatened with a runner on second and no outs in the bottom half before A’s reliever Justin Sterner escaped the jam.In the top of the ninth, the reigning American League