Welcome to the merry month of May, where Ichiro Suzuki rules.

Ichiro's batting average for May is .364 - 21 points higher than Joe Mauer of the Twins, who has the next best mark among active players.

Ichiro began April on the disabled list for the first time in his career and ended it batting .306.

He's in right field tonight, and has a .308 lifetime batting average against Oakland starter Dana Eveland.

We're off!

Walk ball

Ichiro began the month with an infield single, then Eveland walked Endy Chavez and Mike Sweeney to load the bases.

Cleanup hitter Adrian Beltre struck out on a checked swing, but Russell Branyan flied out deep to right field and Ichiro scored easily.

Carlos Silva has a lead heading to the second inning.

Mariners 1, Athletics 0

Here comes Oakland

With one out, Silva gave up a double to Ryan Sweeney. With two outs, he walked Jason Giambi - and Matt Holliday singled homed the tying run.

Jack Cust walked. Kurt Suzuki smoked a line drive, and when Chavez broke in on the ball, it went to the wall for a two-run double.

With his 60th pitch, Silva walked Travis Buck. On his 61st, Bobby Crosby tripled home three runs - and the Safeco Field crowd began booing.

To the bottom of the second: Athletics 6, Mariners 1

Here comes Seattle

Mike Sweeney and Beltre singled and, with one out, Jose Lopez drove them both home - pushing his team-high RBI total to 15.

That was all the Mariners got, but it was a quick response to a six-run Oakland rally.
After three: Athletics 6, Mariners 3

Mr. Silva has left the building

Silva got two outs in the fourth, walked a man and was gone. Miguel Batista now pitching.

Line on Silva: 3 2/3 innings, six hits, six runs, six earned runs, four walks, three strikeouts. He threw 81 pitches.

Branyan, Gutierrez turn it around

Sweeney drew his second walk to open the fifth inning and, one out later, Russell Branyan hit his fifth home run.

It was a towering shot to left center field, estimated at 415 feet, and got Seattle within a run.

With two outs, Kenji Johjima singled up the middle and Franklin Gutirrez hit his second home run - tucking it just inside the left field foul pole.

That chased Eveland.

In the fifth: Mariners 7, Athletics 6

Yikes! It's gone

Don Wakamatsu got 2 1/3 innings out of Miguel Batista and tried to get deeper into the game with Sean White.

White got the first two outs of the seventh inning, then gave up a blast to Matt Holliday that went into the upper deck in left field where it may have injured someone.

Yes, it was hit that hard.

In the middle of the seventh: Mariners 7, Athletics 7

<
That Mariners ninth

Endy Chavez singled with one out in the ninth inning. Sweeney, who hadn't drawn a walk in April, walked for the third time.

Beltre flied to the warning track in right field, deep enough to get Chavez to third base for Branyan.

With the potential winning run at third base and a crowd of 25,760 on its feet, Oakland intentionally walked Branyan and loaded the bases.

Lopez fouled off nine pitches in a 14-pitch at-bat, then singled to win the game.

It's a final: Mariners 8, Athletics 7

One of baseball's more beloved in-house events is the Turn-Back-the-Clock night, where players wear the uniform of a simpler time - even if the baseball looks the same.

Tonight at Safeco Field, the Mariners will don the outfits worn by the 1939 Seattle Rainiers, while the Athletics will sport Oakland Oaks unifoms.

Fun? Yes, but tonight Safeco Field will try to reinvent itself as a 1939-era ball park, too. If you come, expect music from the '30s and an aura of old-time baseball.

No, you don't get a free bobble head doll or a bat or a ball, unless you happen to catch one.

It's just the chance to see Ken Griffey Jr. wearing flannels, and remember how long most of us have loved this game.

Gents, put on your fedora and come out.