A’s waste Frankie Montas’ gem, bullpen implodes in 2-1 loss to Mariners

Montas needed all of four pitches to get through the first inning. He maintained an economical pace, throwing 65 pitches through six innings.

The only Seattle baserunner through six innings was right fielder Taylor Trammell, who walked on a borderline 3-2 pitch with two outs in the second.

Montas labored harder in the seventh. He went to a 3-2 count on Dylan Moore before getting him to strike out swinging at a 98 mph fastball.

Julio Rodríguez flied to Ramón Laureano on the warning track in right before Montas walked Jesse Winker on five pitches.

Eugenio Suárez got ahead in the count 3-1. He then looked at a slider for strike two and went down swinging at 98 mph heat to end the inning.

That was strikeout No. 8 for Montas, his last of the day. Suarez struck out four times Thursday; reliever Zach Jackson got him in the ninth.

Montas opened the eighth with two groundouts. With the crowd of 8,215 hoping to witness history, Adam Frazier dumped a single into left, ending Montas’ no-hit bid.

Luis Torrens followed with a line-drive single to left and just like that, the tying and go-ahead runs were on base.

J.P. Crawford fouled off three 3-2 pitches, then grounded out to second to end the threat and Montas’ afternoon.

Montas gave up those two hits and two walks in his eight-inning outing that encompassed 102 pitches. The last Oakland pitcher to throw a no-hitter was Mike Fiers, who did so in a 2-0 decision over the Reds at the Coliseum on May 7, 2019.

In the ninth, Jackson got two outs but issued two free passes. A.J. Puk replaced him. The lefty walked pinch-hitter Kevin Padlo (who was briefly with the Giants this season) to load the bases.