Candiotti Can’t Handle Mariners

Oakland’s Tom Candiotti relies almost exclusively on his knuckleball. Sunday, he found out what happens when it’s not working.

Edgar Martinez and Russ Davis hit two-run home runs during an eight-run third inning, and the Seattle Mariners hung on to defeat the Athletics, 11-8, despite a shaky outing by Jamie Moyer.

“I tried to pitch like I was 25 again and I realized why I throw the knuckleball,” said Candiotti, 41. “I threw a fastball, curve and whatever else I could invent. I knew it was only a matter of time.”

Candiotti broke the nail on his middle finger warming up before the game. Because of that, he had to alter his pitches.

As a result, he was tagged for six runs, five earned, and seven hits in 2 1/3 innings as the Athletics lost for the fourth time in five games since defeating the New York Yankees on opening day.

“I was surprised he wasn’t throwing that knuckler,” Davis said. “We hit a couple of his mistakes and that’s what you have to do.”

David Bell had a two-run double, Giomar Guevara doubled home a run and Ken Griffey Jr. had a run-scoring single during the third, when the Mariners tied a team record with seven consecutive hits.

Moyer (1-1) gave up five runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and one walk.

“I lost my focus when we got the big lead and I can’t afford to do that,” Moyer said.

The Mariners went on to take a 10-0 lead in the fourth, but the Athletics crept back and closed to 10-7 in the eighth before the Mariners’ John Mabry homered against Billy Taylor in the bottom half. Scott Spiezio hit a run-scoring double against John Halama in the ninth.

Guevara, brought up from Tacoma, went two for four with a double. Every Mariner starter had at least one hit by the sixth inning, and the Mariners outhit the A’s, 18-12.

Guevara had a run-scoring double in the third, and the hits by Bell and Griffey made it 9-0. Lampkin drove in a run with a single in the fourth.

A.J. Hinch’s solo home run broke up Moyer’s shutout bid in the fifth, a drive that tipped off the top of left fielder’s Butch Huskey’s glove and over the fence. Tim Raines had a run-scoring single later in the inning.

Oakland made it 10-5 in the seventh on Raines’ run-scoring groundout, Matt Stairs’ run-scoring double that chased Moyer and pinch-hitter Eric Chavez’s run-scoring single against Brett Hinchliffe.

Pinch-hitter Ben Grieve doubled in the eighth and scored on Jason Giambi’s single against Jose Paniagua.