SEATTLE  Andrew Triggs did his best to keep the Mariners powerful offense at bay, but eventually it broke through.
After allowing the first two runners to reach base in the fifth, Triggs hung a first-pitch slider to Nelson Cruz that was launched over the wall in left-center to break the tie and put the Mariners ahead 4-1 as the As eventually fell 6-3 for their third straight loss.
Triggs had allowed Mariners (17-11) base runners in each of the first four innings, but had managed to limit the damage to just one run before allowing the homer to Cruz. He proceeded to allow the next two batters to reach base after Cruz before getting pulled for Trivino. Triggs failed to complete five innings, allowing four runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts on 86 pitches as he fell to 2-1 with his ERA now at 5.20.
Giving up the home run with two outs, made it a little more painful for Triggs, especially after retiring Robinson Cano right before Cruz.
Jed Lowrie got the As (14-15) on the board first with a soaring solo home run off Felix Hernandez in the first innning. It was his seventh of the season, and allowed Triggs to take the mound with a 1-0 lead before he even took the mound.
After a red-hot April that saw him set a new Oakland record for most hits in the month, Lowrie seemed to carry over that success into the new month.
But following the home run allowed to Lowrie, Hernandez turned into the pitcher who has terrorized Oakland for years.
Entering the night 25-10 with a 2.61 ERA in 47 career starts against the As, Hernandez was sharp after the home run as he allowed just two hits after.
The As chased him out of the game in the seventh after Matt Olson followed up a Khris Davis walk by doubling down the right field line to put runners on second and third with no outs and found a way to bring in two runs off Nick Vincent on an infield hit and a ground out to cut the lead to 5-3.
As players were excited following the announcement that the team would open the 2019 season in Japan, an experience that is sure to be memorable for the many young players on the team. But the trip will have a special meaning for Sean Manaea.
Manaeas brother, Dane, is a U.S. Navy member currently stationed in Yokosuka, which is about 30 minutes away from the the Tokyo Dome, where the As will be the home team for a two-game series with the Seattle Mariners Wednesday, March 20 and Thursday, March 21.
Deployed to Japan the past year, Dane has not watched Sean pitch live since he started a game for Indiana State his sophomore season in 2012 against Purdue, where Dane was enrolled as a student at the time. Since then, Manaea has emerged into one of the top young pitchers in baseball, making a statement just over a week ago when he threw a no-hitter at the Oakland Coliseum against the Boston Red Sox.
Given the way Manaea has performed this this season, theres a good chance he gets the nod in one of those games.
He just hopes Dane, 28, is still stationed there by that time. He was in Spain the previous two year before transferring to Japan, so the possibility for another transfer is a realistic one.
With the opportunity to have Dane in the stands, Manaea said he wants the ball and is definitely hoping manager Bob Melvin selects him to start one of the games.
Melvin, who managed the As when the club opened the season in Japan back in 2012, is looking forward to the trip.
No corresponding roster move was made as of Tuesday night, but Brett Anderson was in the As clubhouse before the game and Melvin confirmed the left-hander would start Wednesdays game in Seattle.
Reunited with Trevor Cahill, Melvin would like to see Anderson provide the club with work similar to what Cahill has been able to do so far. In three starts back with Oakland, Cahill has gone 1-1 with an ERA of 3.00.