Notebook | R.A. Dickey makes case for starting spot

OAKLAND, Calif. — There was nothing meaningless about this game for R.A. Dickey as he stared up at all the zeros on the scoreboard.

For all the talk of the Mariners having nothing left to play for this season, the 33-year-old Dickey is fighting for his future every time he takes the mound. Dickey has once again solidified his status in the major leagues, but he'd like to take that a step further as a full-time member of the team's starting rotation.

Two holes had already opened up in the hours before Dickey tossed a four-hit gem over seven shutout innings Thursday afternoon in an eventual 3-2 loss in 11 innings to the Oakland Athletics. With Erik Bedard now on the 15-day disabled list and Miguel Batista out until after the All-Star break, Dickey knows he's getting a chance to show he can do this every five days.

"I think I've certainly worked hard to be trustworthy in that role," Dickey said. "I think I can get better and throw a lot of innings. I think that's a good definition of a quality No. 4 and No. 5 starter."

Dickey said all the right things about the team already having quality starters and such.

But even without the injuries to Bedard and Batista, both expected back soon after the All-Star break, the July 31 trade deadline looms and there's a good chance the Mariners will unload another starter by then.

Dickey didn't get the decision in this one, because closer Brandon Morrow yielded solo home runs in the ninth to Jack Cust and pinch-hitter Kurt Suzuki that tied the contest. Suzuki's blast, with two out, gave Oakland its first pinch-hit homer since August 2006 and marked the first time Morrow has blown a save after converting his first eight as the team's closer in J.J. Putz's absence.

Emil Brown then brought the crowd of 15,187 at McAfee Coliseum to its feet by lining a Cesar Jimenez pitch just beyond the left-field wall to win it with one out in the 11th. The Mariners dropped their third game in four tries to the A's, despite getting three great outings by starters that ultimately ended in losses.

"I was missing a lot of spots today," said Morrow, who hadn't been scored on in 17-2/3 innings before Cust belted a 3-1 pitch into the right-field stands. "That was the main thing. I think I fell behind every single hitter."

Morrow struck out the next two batters, then fell behind 1-0 to Suzuki, who crushed a fastball over the wall in left-center. Despite the "bad feeling" from the loss, Morrow said he hopes to shake it off quickly and "come back with the same mentality I've had."

Dickey had kept his team locked in a scoreless tie until Jose Lopez doubled off A's reliever Santiago Casilla in the eighth and came home on an infield single by Jose Vidro. Lopez doubled home an insurance marker in the ninth after Willie Bloomquist opened the inning with a ground-rule double to left.

Mariners manager Jim Riggleman said Dickey remains a viable rotation option.

"He's so durable, he'll probably be around at the end of the Kansas City series to pitch, too," said Riggleman, whose squad plays a weekend series against the Royals. "He's really persevered. He's trying to grasp it and hold on to it. No matter what profession, if everyone worked like he did, good things would happen."

Notes

• A tight hamstring kept Ichiro from starting for the first time this season, though he made a pinch-hit appearance for Kenji Johjima with two on and one out in the eighth inning. After failing to get down a suicide-squeeze bunt, with Adrian Beltre sprinting home from third, Ichiro walked to load the bases. But Miguel Cairo popped out foul to first base and Jeremy Reed, in an 0-for-15 slump, was caught looking at a full-count fastball down the middle from reliever Jerry Blevins.

• The Mariners made a trade Thursday, acquiring outfielder Craig Wilson from Pittsburgh for a player to be named. Wilson was hitting .230 with 10 home runs for the Pirates' Class AAA team in Indianapolis.

• The ninth-inning double by Bloomquist was his first extra-base hit in 125 plate appearances this season.

• Dickey has held left-handed hitters to just a .192 batting average this season. But right-handers are batting .328 off him.

• Oakland reliever Brad Ziegler extended his career-opening scoreless streak to 19 innings, three shy of the AL record set by Boston's Dave Ferris in 1945.

• The Mariners had either won or tied their past four series before dropping three of four to the A's.

For the record

Streak: L1

Home: 19-27

Road: 17-29

vs. AL West: 11-17

vs. L.A.: 3-6

vs. Oakland: 4-5

vs. Texas: 4-6

vs. AL East: 11-18

vs. AL Cent.: 5-12

vs. NL: 9-9

vs. LHP: 9-16

vs. RHP: 27-40

Day: 10-19

Night: 26-37

One-run: 10-18

Extra innings: 2-4