It's Oakland - of course it's cold

Fifty-five degrees at game time, but with brisk winds that make it feel much colder.

Ken Griffey Jr., playing right field tonight, tried to invoke what he called the '60-degree rule.'

"That's where I don't play games when it's below 60 degrees," Junior said.

Maybe Aussie Ryan Rowland-Smith has the same rule. He fielded an excuse-me roller from Jason Giambi, then threw wildly to first - the Mariners first error of the season - and Orlando Cabrera scored all the way from first base, with Giambi ending up at third.

Rowland-Smith got Eric Chavez to pop out, Nomar Garciaparra to fly out.

Great pitching, bad fielding.

After one: Athletics 1, Mariners 0

Quiet ball
Griffey walked one out into the second and starter Brent Anderson seemed to come unnerved.

Soft singles by Jose Lopez, Russell Branyan and Kenji Johjima tied the game and left the bases loaded.

Yuniesky Betancourt doubled off the scoreboard - the first hard-hit ball of the rally - to push home two more. Endy Chavez rolled a single up the middl to score another pair of runs.

Anderson got a double play, but he's down four runs and didn't feel he pitched poorly.

To bottom of the second: Mariners 5, Atletics 1

Living on the edge

Rowland-Smith is almost daring Oakland to knock him out of the game and, in the second inning, Chris Jakubauskas is warming up.

A double, an error, two walks and a sacrifice fly - and Rowland-Smith gave up only one run.

Amazing. But it's costing him: he's already thrown 52 pitches in two innings.

Mariners 5, Athletics 2

Five Doesn't Look Like Enough

Rowland-Smith was lifted one out into the fourth inning, with two men on and 82 pitches thrown.

Reliever Jakubauskas came in and hit Jason Giambi, then got Matt Holiday to pop out to Griffey, making a long run in right field.

Eric Chavez tapped back to the mound, and the Mariners escaped without allowing a run, though Oakland left the bases loaded for the second time in four innings.

It's a high-wire act so far.

Mariners 5, Athletics 2

Five REALLY doesn't look like enough

Jakubauskas is gone, Roy Corcoran is in and the Athletics make another run.

Against Cocoran, Oakland gets a Matt Holliday RBI double, a walk and a long sacrifice fly.

With men on first and third base and two outs, Corcoran loaded the bases with a walk to Jack Cust.

Corcoran got his ground ball then, forcing Oakland to leave 'em loaded for the third time in six innings.

Now it's a one-run lead:

Mariners 5, Athletics 4.

That's One!

In his 130th major league relief appearance, David Aardsma nailed down a two-inning save - the first of his career.

Seattle hangs on to win, goes to 3-2 and then puts pies in the faces of Aardsma and Jakubauskas.

High times in Marinerville.

It's true, that following up a day in which you go 7-for-10 is tough, but Ichiro Suzuki had another 10 at-bats in extended spring training today - and managed only five hits.

Clearly, the man is slipping.

Manager Don Wakamatsu said Ichiro would play a third game today, perhaps even play in the outfield a little.

General manager Jack Zduriencik was less enthused about that.

"We're going to be careful and give him time, which isn't easy because he'd like to be playing today," Zduriencik said. "We'll get him more at-bats and have him in Seattle when we work out Monday."

For those living in a lettuce patch, Ichiro began the season on the disabled list with a bleeding ulcer. He's eligible to come off on April 15 - the second day of the Mariners first home stand.

Ichiro's return will mean some juggling for Wakamatsu - with Ichiro and Franklin Guttierrez playing every day, that means Ken Griffey Jr., Endy Chavez and Wladimir Balentien will have to share time in left.

It's not a bad problem to have, having Ichiro back, but it will make Wakamatsu's job a tad more difficult.