OAKLAND, Calif. –

Tyson Ross was right at home with family and friends enjoying a birthday celebration and making his second start of the season. His teammates helped give him the best gift of all. 

Seth Smith hit a two-run homer, helping Ross get his first win in nearly a year as the Oakland Athletics avoided a series sweep with a 5-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Sunday.        

“I always seem to end up pitching on my birthday,” said Ross, celebrating his 25th birthday. “This was definitely a good birthday. I’m kind of picking up where I left off before the injury last year.”     

He did not pitch in the majors last season after May 20 because of a strained left oblique.    

“The ability is there,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “He was a high pick, he has good stuff and I’ve seen his confidence grow since spring training. It’s a mindset that says ‘here it comes.’ That shows confidence in what he has.”       

Cliff Pennington had two hits and drove in two runs for the A’s, who ended a two-game slide and have won four of six. Kurt Suzuki also drove in a run.      

“It was a nice day for a few of us to get going,” Pennington said. “Any time you have a starting pitcher dealing like that you want to make an effort as an offense to get him the win.”

Ross (1-0) allowed a run and four hits in 6 2-3 innings. He walked a career-high five and struck out four while getting his first victory since last May 14 against the Chicago White Sox.       

Travis Hafner doubled in a run for the Indians, who were trying to start the season 8-1 on the road for the first time since 1910. Hafner reached base in 11 of his 14 plate appearances in the series. 

“We had five leadoff walks and still couldn’t do much with it,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “(Ross) kind of buckled up and made some good pitches after that and had us hitting into double plays a few times.”        

Justin Masterson (0-2) gave up four runs on six hits over five innings and has allowed 17 runs over his last 13 2-3 innings. He walked six and struck out three. Masterson had walked six batters in his previous three starts combined.     

“He struggled a little bit with his command, especially with two outs,” Acta said. “There were a couple of walks that he gave away with two outs that kind of hurt him.” 

Consecutive doubles from Shin-soo Choo and Hafner gave the Indians a 1-0 edge in the first.

Ross caught Jack Hannahan trying to steal third in the second, ending another possible threat.

It was all Athletics after Pennington doubled in a run in the third to tie the score. He had two hits in his previous 24 at-bats at home.        

Following a walk to Kila Ka’aihue leading off the fourth, Smith hit his third home run in six career games against the Indians, a two-run shot that sailed into the right-field bleachers.   

“Home runs are always nice,” Smith said. It felt good to connect.”       

Suzuki added an RBI single in the fifth and Pennington beat out an infield single in the eighth, allowing Eric Sogard to score from second base.

NOTES: The A’s claimed IF Luke Hughes off waivers from Minnesota and transferred LHP Dallas Braden to the 60-day disabled list. … Smith snapped a career-high 45-game homerless streak. … RHP Derek Lowe (2-1, 3.50) makes his fourth start of the year for the Indians when they open a three-game series at home Tuesday against Kansas City. He is 4-5 in 23 appearances against the Royals. … RHP Bartolo Colon(3-1, 2.36) makes the start for the A’s Monday against the Chicago White Sox.Colonthrew 38 straight strikes in his last outing and is working on a 15-inning scoreless streak. … The A’s played their third day game, fewest in theAL. … Hafner reached base safely in 14 of his previous 17 plate appearances before hitting into a double play in the eighth. … Ross became the first A’s pitcher to win on his birthday since Todd Stottlemyre in 1995.

Justin Masterson was unbeatable last April. This year, the Cleveland right-hander is still winless in the month.

Masterson labored his way through a third consecutive start, matching his career-high of six walks while allowing four runs over five innings in the Indians’ 5-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Sunday.

That’s 10 walks in the last 8 2/3 innings for Cleveland’s opening-day starter, a trend Masterson doesn’t seem too concerned with despite the results.

“We’re not trying to pick the corners but we seem to be just right there, just missing,” Masterson said. “We’re real close. It’s nothing way out, nothing real crazy. It’s just something that’s happened, a little spree of games. Hopefully we can turn it around.”

Travis Hafner doubled in a run for the Indians, who were trying to start the season 8-1 on the road for the first time since 1910. Hafner reached base in 11 of his 14 plate appearances in the series.

Unlike the first two games, Cleveland failed to generate much offense and repeatedly hurt itself with miscues in the field even though the Indians weren’t charged with any errors.

“There were a couple of plays that we should have been where we didn’t and it cost (Masterson) a few pitches,” Cleveland manager Manny Acta said. “We didn’t score enough runs and gave away way too many outs running the bases and also defensively.”

Seth Smith hit a two-run homer, helping Tyson Ross get his first win in nearly a year to help Oakland avoid a series sweep.

Cliff Pennington had two hits and drove in two runs for the A’s, who ended a two-game slide and have won four of six. Kurt Suzuki also drove in a run.

Ross (1-0) allowed a run and four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He walked five and struck out four while getting his first victory since last May 14 against the Chicago White Sox.

“My whole game is to keep the ball down and let my defense work,” Ross said. “When you get a couple of (double plays), it helps.”

Masterson (0-2), who has allowed 17 runs over his last 13 2/3 innings, threw 111 pitches but only 61 for strikes. The six walks matched the total from his previous three starts combined.

“It’s about attacking the strike zone and being more consistent,” Acta said. “That’s a very low percentage of strikes. You have to be a little bit higher than that to succeed at this level.”

Consecutive doubles from Shin-soo Choo and Hafner gave the Indians a 1-0 edge in the first.

Ross caught Jack Hannahan trying to steal third in the second, ending another possible threat.

It was all Athletics after Pennington doubled in a run in the third to tie the score. He had two hits in his previous 24 at-bats at home.

Following a walk to Kila Ka’aihue leading off the fourth, Smith hit his third home run in six career games against the Indians, a two-run shot that sailed into the right-field bleachers.

Suzuki added an RBI single in the fifth and Pennington beat out an infield single in the eighth, allowing Eric Sogard to score from second base.

NOTES: RHP Derek Lowe (2-1, 3.50) makes his fourth start of the year for the Indians when they open a three-game series at home Tuesday against Kansas City. He is 4-5 in 23 appearances against the Royals. … Hafner reached base safely in 14 of his previous 17 plate appearances before hitting into a double play in the eighth. … CF Michael Brantley went 0-for-4, snapping his seven-game hitting streak.

BC-BBA–2012 Oakland Athletics Schedule,09642012 Oakland Athletics ScheduleBy The Associated PressAll Times EDTMarch 28 Seattle at Tokyo, 6:10 a.m.

March 29 Seattle at Tokyo, 5:10 a.m.

April 6 Seattle, 10:07 p.m.

April 7 Seattle, 9:07 p.m.

April 9 Kansas City, 10:07 p.m.

April 10 Kansas City, 10:07 p.m.

April 11 Kansas City, 3:37 p.m.

April 13 at Seattle, 10:10 p.m.

April 14 at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

April 15 at Seattle, 4:10 p.m.

April 16 at L.A. Angels, 10:05 p.m.

April 17 at L.A. Angels, 10:05 p.m.

April 18 at L.A. Angels, 10:05 p.m.

April 19 at L.A. Angels, 10:05 p.m.

April 20 Cleveland, 10:07 p.m.

April 21 Cleveland, 9:07 p.m.

April 22 Cleveland, 4:07 p.m.

April 23 Chicago White Sox, 10:07 p.m.

April 24 Chicago White Sox, 10:07 p.m.

April 25 Chicago White Sox, 3:37 p.m.

April 27 at Baltimore, 7:05 p.m.

April 28 at Baltimore, 7:05 p.m.

April 29 at Baltimore, 1:35 p.m.

April 30 at Boston, 7:10 p.m.

May 1 at Boston, 7:10 p.m.

May 2 at Boston, 7:10 p.m.

May 4 at Tampa Bay, 7:10 p.m.

May 5 at Tampa Bay, 7:10 p.m.

May 6 at Tampa Bay, 1:40 p.m.

May 8 Toronto, 10:07 p.m.

May 9 Toronto, 3:37 p.m.

May 10 Detroit, 10:07 p.m.

May 11 Detroit, 10:07 p.m.

May 12 Detroit, 8:07 p.m.

May 13 Detroit, 4:07 p.m.

May 14 at L.A. Angels, 10:05 p.m.

May 15 at L.A. Angels, 7:05 p.m.

May 16 at Texas, 8:05 p.m.

May 17 at Texas, 2:05 p.m.

May 18 at San Francisco, 10:15 p.m.

May 19 at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m.

May 20 at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m.

May 21 L.A. Angels, 10:07 p.m.

May 22 L.A. Angels, 10:07 p.m.

May 23 L.A. Angels, 3:37 p.m.

May 25 N.Y. Yankees, 10:07 p.m.

May 26 N.Y. Yankees, 4:07 p.m.

May 27 N.Y. Yankees, 4:07 p.m.

May 28 at Minnesota, 2:10 p.m.

May 29 at Minnesota, 8:10 p.m.

May 30 at Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.

June 1 at Kansas City, 8:10 p.m.

June 2 at Kansas City, 2:10 p.m.

June 3 at Kansas City, 2:10 p.m.

June 4 Texas, 10:07 p.m.

June 5 Texas, 10:07 p.m.

June 6 Texas, 10:07 p.m.

June 7 Texas, 3:37 p.m.

June 8 at Arizona, 9:40 p.m.

June 9 at Arizona, 10:10 p.m.

June 10 at Arizona, 4:10 p.m.

June 12 at Colorado, 8:40 p.m.

June 13 at Colorado, 8:40 p.m.

June 14 at Colorado, 3:10 p.m.

June 15 San Diego, 10:07 p.m.

June 16 San Diego, 4:07 p.m.

June 17 San Diego, 4:07 p.m.

June 19 L.A. Dodgers, 10:07 p.m.

June 20 L.A. Dodgers, 10:07 p.m.

June 21 L.A. Dodgers, 3:37 p.m.

June 22 San Francisco, 10:07 p.m.

June 23 San Francisco, 7:15 p.m.

June 24 San Francisco, 4:07 p.m.

June 25 at Seattle, 10:10 p.m.

June 26 at Seattle, 10:10 p.m.

June 27 at Seattle, 3:40 p.m.

June 28 at Texas, 8:05 p.m.

June 29 at Texas, 8:05 p.m.

June 30 at Texas, 7:15 p.m.

July 1 at Texas, TBA

July 2 Boston, 10:07 p.m.

July 3 Boston, 10:07 p.m.

July 4 Boston, 4:07 p.m.

July 6 Seattle, 10:07 p.m.

July 7 Seattle, 10:10 p.m.

July 8 Seattle, 4:07 p.m.

July 13 at Minnesota, 8:10 p.m.

July 14 at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.

July 15 at Minnesota, 2:10 p.m.

July 17 Texas, 10:07 p.m.

July 18 Texas, 3:37 p.m.

July 19 N.Y. Yankees, 10:07 p.m.

July 20 N.Y. Yankees, 10:07 p.m.

July 21 N.Y. Yankees, 9:07 p.m.

July 22 N.Y. Yankees, 4:07 p.m.

July 24 at Toronto, 7:07 p.m.

July 25 at Toronto, 7:07 p.m.

July 26 at Toronto, 12:37 p.m.

July 27 at Baltimore, 7:05 p.m.

July 28 at Baltimore, 7:05 p.m.

July 29 at Baltimore, 1:35 p.m.

July 30 Tampa Bay, 10:07 p.m.

July 31 Tampa Bay, 10:07 p.m.

Aug. 1 Tampa Bay, 3:37 p.m.

Aug. 2 Toronto, 10:07 p.m.

Aug. 3 Toronto, 10:07 p.m.

Aug. 4 Toronto, 4:07 p.m.

Aug. 5 Toronto, 4:07 p.m.

Aug. 6 L.A. Angels, 10:07 p.m.

Aug. 7 L.A. Angels, 10:07 p.m.

Aug. 8 L.A. Angels, 3:37 p.m.

Aug. 10 at Chicago White Sox, 8:10 p.m.

Aug. 11 at Chicago White Sox, 7:10 p.m.

Aug. 12 at Chicago White Sox, 2:10 p.m.

Aug. 14 at Kansas City, 8:10 p.m.

Aug. 15 at Kansas City, 8:10 p.m.

Aug. 16 at Kansas City, 8:10 p.m.

Aug. 17 Cleveland, 10:07 p.m.

Aug. 18 Cleveland, 9:07 p.m.

Aug. 19 Cleveland, 4:07 p.m.

Aug. 20 Minnesota, 10:07 p.m.

Aug. 21 Minnesota, 10:07 p.m.

Aug. 22 Minnesota, 3:37 p.m.

Aug. 23 at Tampa Bay, 7:10 p.m.

Aug. 24 at Tampa Bay, 7:10 p.m.

Aug. 25 at Tampa Bay, 1:10 p.m.

Aug. 27 at Cleveland, 7:05 p.m.

Aug. 28 at Cleveland, 7:05 p.m.

Aug. 29 at Cleveland, 7:05 p.m.

Aug. 30 at Cleveland, 12:05 p.m.

Aug. 31 Boston, 10:07 p.m.

Sept. 1 Boston, 9:07 p.m.

Sept. 2 Boston, 4:07 p.m.

Sept. 3 L.A. Angels, 4:07 p.m.

Sept. 4 L.A. Angels, 10:07 p.m.

Sept. 5 L.A. Angels, 3:37 p.m.

Sept. 7 at Seattle, 10:10 p.m.

Sept. 8 at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

Sept. 9 at Seattle, 4:10 p.m.

Sept. 10 at L.A. Angels, 10:05 p.m.

Sept. 11 at L.A. Angels, 10:05 p.m.

Sept. 12 at L.A. Angels, 10:05 p.m.

Sept. 13 at L.A. Angels, 3:35 p.m.

Sept. 14 Baltimore, 10:07 p.m.

Sept. 15 Baltimore, 9:07 p.m.

Sept. 16 Baltimore, 4:07 p.m.

Sept. 18 at Detroit, 7:05 p.m.

Sept. 19 at Detroit, 7:05 p.m.

Sept. 20 at Detroit, 1:05 p.m.

Sept. 21 at N.Y. Yankees, 7:05 p.m.

Sept. 22 at N.Y. Yankees, TBA

Sept. 23 at N.Y. Yankees, 1:05 p.m.

Sept. 24 at Texas, 8:05 p.m.

Sept. 25 at Texas, 8:05 p.m.

Sept. 26 at Texas, 8:05 p.m.

Sept. 27 at Texas, 2:05 p.m.

Sept. 28 Seattle, 10:07 p.m.

Sept. 29 Seattle, 4:07 p.m.

Sept. 30 Seattle, 4:07 p.m.

Oct. 1 Texas, 10:07 p.m.

Oct. 2 Texas, 10:07 p.m.

Oct. 3 Texas, 3:37 p.m.

TOKYO (AP) — A change in continents failed to help the Oakland Athletics on opening day.

The A’s lost their eighth straight opener, 3-1 in 11 innings to the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night, as Dustin Ackley homered and singled in the go-ahead run in the 11th inning,

“They got bigger hits than we did at the end,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “We hit some balls hard, but they just didn’t get in.”

Felix Hernandez combined with two relievers on a six-hitter as Major League Baseball opened its season in Tokyo for the fourth time. The A’s became the first team to lose eight straight openers since Philadelphia from 1985-92, according to STATS LLC.

Oakland was just 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position. Last year, the A’s hit .266 with runners on second or third, 22 points above their overall average.

After finishing 12th in runs in the league with 645, Oakland opted not to re-sign Japanese slugger Hideki Matsui.

Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes, who signed a $36 million, four-year contract with the A’s, was 1 for 3 with a seventh-inning double and two strikeouts in his major league debut.

Cespedes’ double was the last hit for Oakland until Seth Smith singled with two outs in the 11th off Brandon League, who struck out Kurt Suzuki to end the game.

A capacity crowd of 44,227 at Tokyo Dome was a sea of flashbulbs every time Ichiro Suzuki came to bat. He got a standing ovation when he took his position in right field in the final inning.

The 38-year-old Suzuki set a big league record with 10 consecutive 200-hit seasons before falling short last year.

“He’s a hitting machine,” said Oakland manager Bob Melvin, who managed ichiro Suzuki with the Mariners in 2003 and 2004. “It doesn’t matter where he bats in the lineup. That’s what he does — hit.”

Seattle and Oakland complete their two-game series Thursday. The rest of the big league teams start to get going April 4, when the renamed Miami Marlins open their new ballpark against the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals.

“It was very special to open in Japan,” said Ichiro Suzuki, who spent nine seasons in Osaka with the Orix Blue Wave. “I wanted to have fun and give the fans something at this special time and wanted to share a special moment with them.”

Ackley homered in the fourth off Brandon McCarthy, putting the Mariners ahead.

“It was a really bad fastball,” McCarthy said. “It was supposed to be a cutter up and in, and it turned out to be a cutter in the middle, and I asked him to hit it out.”

Kurt Suzuki doubled in a run in the bottom half off Hernandez, who allowed five hits in eight innings.

“He’s a great pitcher,” Kurt Suzuki said. “He got into some tough situations tonight, but he made the pitches when he had to.”

Hernandez struck out six and walked none.

“I didn’t think he was throwing as hard as he normally throws,” Cliff Pennington said. “But he was still Felix, and was still pitching. It’s always a battle when you’re facing him.”

The score remained 1-1 until the 11th, when Brendan Ryan doubled against Andrew Carignan (0-1), Chone Figgins sacrificed and Ackley singled to center. Jerry Blevins relieved, Ackley stole second and Ichiro Suzuki singled for a two-run lead. Brandon League closed it out for the save.

Tom Wilhelmsen (1-0) got the win with two hitless innings.

Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes, who signed a $36 million, four-year contract with Oakland, was 1 for 3 with a seventh-inning double and two strikeouts in his major league debut.

McCarthy gave up one run and six hits in seven innings with three strikeouts and no walks.

NOTES: The eight straight losses in openers is an A’s record, one shy of the major league mark shared by the New York Giants (1893-1901) and Atlanta (1972-80). … It was 3:09 a.m. PDT when the game began. It was not televised live in the U.S. outside the markets of the teams involved, and was shown on a delayed basis by the MLB Network. … Bartolo Colon starts Thursday the A’s, opposed by Jason Vargas. … The New York Mets and Chicago Cubs opened in Tokyo in 2000, followed by the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay (2004), and Boston and Oakland (2008). Seattle and Oakland had been scheduled to play at the Tokyo Dome in March 2003, but the series was scrapped because of the threat of war in Iraq. … A pregame video presentation honored victims and survivors of the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami. The video was narrated by Derek Jeter, Bobby Valentine and Cal Ripken Jr. … MLB and the players’ association are using the series to assist rebuilding in Japan following last year’s earthquake and tsunami. A group of players and coaches traveled to the disaster zone on Tuesday to conduct a baseball clinic.

A change in continents failed to help the Oakland Athletics on opening day.

The A’s lost their eighth straight opener, 3-1 in 11 innings to the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night, as Dustin Ackley homered and singled in the go-ahead run in the 11th inning.

“They got bigger hits than we did at the end,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “We hit some balls hard, but they just didn’t get in.”

Felix Hernandez combined with two relievers on a six-hitter as Major League Baseball opened its season in Tokyo for the fourth time.

Oakland was just 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position. Last year, the A’s hit .266 with runners on second or third, 22 points above their overall average.

After finishing 12th in runs in the league with 645, Oakland opted not to re-sign Japanese slugger Hideki Matsui.

Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes, who signed a $36 million, four-year contract with the A’s, was 1 for 3 with a seventh-inning double and two strikeouts in his major league debut.

Cespedes’ double was the last hit for Oakland until Seth Smith singled with two outs in the 11th off Brandon League, who struck out Kurt Suzuki to end the game.

A capacity crowd of 44,227 at Tokyo Dome was a sea of flashbulbs every time Ichiro Suzuki came to bat. He got a standing ovation when he took his position in right field in the final inning.

The 38-year-old Suzuki set a big league record with 10 consecutive 200-hit seasons before falling short last year.

“He’s a hitting machine,” said Oakland manager Bob Melvin, who managed ichiro Suzuki with the Mariners in 2003 and 2004. “It doesn’t matter where he bats in the lineup. That’s what he does — hit.”

Seattle and Oakland complete their two-game series Thursday. The rest of the big league teams start to get going April 4, when the renamed Miami Marlins open their new ballpark against the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals.

“It was very special to open in Japan,” said Ichiro Suzuki, who spent nine seasons in Osaka with the Orix Blue Wave. “I wanted to have fun and give the fans something at this special time and wanted to share a special moment with them.”

Ackley homered in the fourth off Brandon McCarthy, putting the Mariners ahead.

“It was a really bad fastball,” McCarthy said. “It was supposed to be a cutter up and in, and it turned out to be a cutter in the middle, and I asked him to hit it out.”

Kurt Suzuki doubled in a run in the bottom half off Hernandez, who allowed five hits in eight innings.

“He’s a great pitcher,” Kurt Suzuki said. “He got into some tough situations tonight, but he made the pitches when he had to.”

Hernandez struck out six and walked none.

“I didn’t think he was throwing as hard as he normally throws,” Cliff Pennington said. “But he was still Felix, and was still pitching. It’s always a battle when you’re facing him.”

The score remained 1-1 until the 11th, when Brendan Ryan doubled against Andrew Carignan (0-1), Chone Figgins sacrificed and Ackley singled to center. Jerry Blevins relieved, Ackley stole second and Ichiro Suzuki singled for a two-run lead. Brandon League closed it out for the save.

Tom Wilhelmsen (1-0) got the win with two hitless innings.

Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes, who signed a $36 million, four-year contract with Oakland, was 1 for 3 with a seventh-inning double and two strikeouts in his major league debut.

McCarthy gave up one run and six hits in seven innings with three strikeouts and no walks.

NOTES: It was 3:09 a.m. PDT when the game began. It was not televised live in the U.S. outside the markets of the teams involved, and was shown on a delayed basis by the MLB Network. … Bartolo Colon starts Thursday the A’s, opposed by Jason Vargas. … The New York Mets and Chicago Cubs opened in Tokyo in 2000, followed by the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay (2004), and Boston and Oakland (2008). Seattle and Oakland had been scheduled to play at the Tokyo Dome in March 2003, but the series was scrapped because of the threat of war in Iraq. … A pregame video presentation honored victims and survivors of the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami. The video was narrated by Derek Jeter, Bobby Valentine and Cal Ripken Jr. … MLB and the players’ association are using the series to assist rebuilding in Japan following last year’s earthquake and tsunami. A group of players and coaches traveled to the disaster zone on Tuesday to conduct a baseball clinic.