Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Felix Hernandez (34) high-fives right fielder Ichiro Suzuki after Suzuki caught a deep fly ball from Oakland Athletics' Coco Crisp in the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, April 13, 2012, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
SEATTLE -- Watching Bartolo Colon pitch can be yawn-inducing.
In fact, his body language on the mound suggests he might just doze off himself.
The inspiring thing about Colon on Friday night, however, was his final line.
The right-hander blanked the Seattle Mariners over seven innings as the A's began a seven-game trip with a 4-0 victory at Safeco Field, spoiling the Mariners' home opener before an announced sellout crowd of 46,026.
He gave up just three hits, walked one and retired the final 10 batters he faced before handing things over to his bullpen. And consistent with his laid-back demeanor, Colon never showed a trace of getting flustered, not that he had much reason to be.
His one tense situation came in the bottom of the fourth. Leading 2-0, he put runners on the corners with two outs. But he rang up Michael Saunders looking to end the threat, and as he walked slowly off the mound, cameras caught him gazing around the crowd, seemingly amused at the booing fans.
From that point on, Colon (2-1) set down 10 straight.
Thanks to the scheduling quirk brought on by the A's-Mariners season-opening series in Japan, Colon became the first pitcher in Oakland history with three consecutive starts against the same opponent without skipping a turn in the rotation.
And Friday was his second straight start against Seattle ace Felix Hernandez (1-1).
The A's scratched out just enough offense to support Colon. They
scored twice in the third, getting an RBI double from Cliff Pennington and a run-scoring single from Coco Crisp.They were poised to do more damage against Hernandez, but they stranded the bases loaded with one out in the fourth. Once Hernandez left the game, the A's added some cushion on Kurt Suzuki's sacrifice fly in the eighth and Jemile Weeks' homer off Charlie Furbush in the ninth.
Seattle, trailing 3-0, looked ready to jump back in the game after rookie reliever Ryan Cook walked two batters to open the inning. But Cook helped himself in a big way, starting a 1-6-3 double play that doused the rally.
Grant Balfour shut the door in the ninth.
- A's catcher Suzuki is off to a great start throwing out runners, nailing four of nine would-be base stealers through seven games entering Friday. As a point of reference, he threw out just 23 of 121 attempted base stealers in all of 2011, a 19 percent success rate that ranked fourth-lowest in the American League.
Suzuki attributes the improvement to work he did in spring training with manager Bob Melvin and Triple-A Sacramento manager Darren Bush, the A's primary catching instructor throughout camp.
"I changed it up a little bit," Suzuki said before a game against the Mariners. "More footwork stuff, more transfer stuff, using my legs. It's been going good so far. The main thing is keeping it going for the entire season when I get tired."
That's where Suzuki hopes some added strength pays off. He put on 15 pounds in the offseason, thinking it will help his endurance as the season wears on.
Melvin said there's a noticeable difference in Suzuki's throwing.
"I think last year he got out of rhythm a little bit, trying to be too quick," Melvin said. "I don't think (A's pitchers) were as quick to the plate as we should have been at times, and I think that's what gets you into a little bit of a rut."
Suzuki could be challenged on this trip. The Mariners entered Friday ranked third in the A.L. with six stolen bases. The Los Angeles Angels, who host the A's in a four-game series starting Monday, were tied for the league lead with seven.
- It was during a series last August at Safeco Field, site of this weekend's series, that Pennington was diagnosed with Bell's palsy, a nerve condition that causes partial facial paralysis.
Pennington left an Aug. 1 game in the sixth inning because he had trouble closing his left eye and could not see well. Then he missed the next two games while taking medication to ease the symptoms.
But Pennington's case was mild. Bell's palsy afflicts some people for months at a time or longer. He's had no recurring effects and didn't require any follow-up treatment. Looking back, he said he feels grateful.
"Very much so," Pennington said. "My wife brings it up from time to time and will remind me of it. But I try not to think about it."
- Melvin isn't revealing who his starting pitcher will be Tuesday, the first day the A's need a fifth starter. But the signs point to right-hander Tyson Ross being called up from Triple-A Sacramento to face the Angels.
Ross pitched five innings Thursday against Tucson, giving up three runs but not issuing a walk. He would be on turn to next pitch Tuesday, making him a logical candidate.
Jarrod Parker, who pitched Wednesday, would be the other candidate, but Melvin added: "I think scheduling, for this turn, may factor into it."
- Because of a conflict with the Sharks' playoff broadcast, Saturday's 6:10 p.m. game will air on Comcast Sports Net Plus.
- The Mariners held a pregame tribute and moment of silence for longtime scout Frank Mattox -- who starred at Acalanes High in Lafayette and Cal -- and outfielder Greg Halman. Mattox died in February and Halman in November.
For more on the A's, read Joe Stiglich's blog at www.ibabuzz.com/athletics or follow him at twitter.com/joestiglich.
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Saturday's game
A's (Tommy Milone 1-0) at Seattle (Hector Noesi 0-1), 6:10 p.m. CSN Plus
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