For the beginning of the end [of the first half] the A’s will send Paul Blackburn to the mound. He was stellar in his Major League debut last week, going six innings and allowing zero earned runs (one unearned). During those five innings, he allowed only five baserunners on three hits, and a whole lot of weak contact. He certainly didn’t show his jitters if he had any. Blackburn has got his work cut out for him today in proving his initial success wasn’t founded on pure adrenaline.
The rookie Sam Gaviglio will start for the Mariners. He’s sporting a 3.