Jaha Helps A’s Find an Offense

The Oakland Athletics found the antidote for their ailing offense. It was Seattle Mariner pitcher Jeff Fassero.

John Jaha hit two home runs, and Ryan Christenson and Tony Phillips also connected as the A’s came out of a hitting slump to beat the Seattle Mariners, 11-4, Saturday night.

“It was nice to see the bats come to life,” A’s Manager Art Howe said. “We’re capable of doing that all the time.”

Jaha played only 119 games the last two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers because of injuries. The A’s signed him to a minor league contract February 17. He is already paying dividends.

“He’s got big-time power,” Howe said. “Hitting two balls like that straightaway is impressive.”

Jaha’s first home run traveled 426 feet. His second shot in the ninth was 441 feet.

Fassero (0-2) was pounded again in his second start of the season. The No. 1 starter in the Seattle rotation gave up 10 hits, two home runs and four doubles in four-plus innings.

“Physically, I feel great. Mechanically, I am out of whack,” Fassero said. “I am having trouble getting the ball inside on hitters.”

That was the case in the fifth inning against Jaha. Behind 0-and-2 in the count, Jaha pounded a pitch that broke over the plate over the center field wall.

“I had shortened up my swing and I was just trying to make solid contact,” Jaha said. “He (Fassero) left it out over the plate.”

The A’s 11 runs were more than they had totaled in their first four games.

Oakland entered the game with baseball’s worst team batting average at .167. The A’s had eight hits and only nine base runners in their previous two games. They got well against Fassero.

Gil Heredia (1-0) worked 6 2/3 innings. He allowed six hits and four runs, struck out three and walked one. He was relieved by Doug Jones. Heredia allowed only three base runners the first six innings.

Christenson’s homer in the third gave Oakland a 1-0 lead. It was the A’s first home run since the third inning of their opening-night victory over the New York Yankees.

The Athletics scored two more runs in the fourth. Miguel Tejada had one of his three doubles, advanced to third on an infield single by Mike Macfarlane and scored on Christenson’s double. Jaha had a three-run homer, and Phillips had a solo shot to account for their last four runs.

The Mariners lost their second shortstop of the season to a knee injury in the fourth inning. Rookie Carlos Guillen suffered a bruised right knee after he tagged out Phillips--who was caught in a rundown--at home plate.

The Mariners chased Heredia in the seventh. Ken Griffey Jr. singled, David Segui hit a ground-rule double and John Mabry followed with a two-run single. Dan Wilson and Raul Ibanez had RBI singles off Jones.