Brandon Moss’ solo home run off reliever Danny Farquhar in the eighth inning tied the game at 3.
Oakland started the day in a tie with Texas for the American League West lead but has lost four of five. The bullpen has been an issue in the recent slide — before Sunday, the A’s bullpen had blown three games. Relievers picked up three losses and only one save over the previous six games.
Seattle led 3-0 after Ibanez’s second home run in the fourth — his third home run in two games.
Seattle starter Jeremy Bonderman, who had allowed two runs over his previous three starts, cruised until getting into a jam in the sixth as the Athletics loaded the bases with one out.
With a 2-2 count on Josh Donaldson, Bonderman threw a wild pitch that allowed Jed Lowrie to score. Bonderman walked Donaldson on the next pitch to load the bases again and was relieved by Farquhar.
Farquhar got Josh Reddick to groundout to second base, but Nick Franklin had to make a sliding stop and could only get the out at first as Yoenis Cespedes scored to make it 3-2. Farquhar then got out of the inning when pinch-hitter John Jaso grounded out.
The Mariners were in position to add to their lead in the seventh with runners on the corners and one out, but Saunders grounded into a double play.
Oakland starter Jarrod Parker kept his four-game winning streak alive with a no-decision, giving up three runs on five hits with one walk and six strikeouts in six innings.
NOTES: Seattle CF Franklin Gutierrez, playing for the second straight game after coming off the 60-day DL, left the game after the sixth inning with a tight hamstring. … Ibanez started at DH in place of Morales. “We’ve pushed him hard and he’s been struggling the last week,” Seattle manager Eric Wedge said of Morales before the game. … CF Coco Crisp was the only Oakland starter that had previously faced Bonderman. Crisp is now 10 for 45 with a home run against the right-hander.
