Game 2 in Tokyo: Oakland Athletics Wrap-Up and Analysis

Just like the 2012 opener, Game 2 was a pitching duel inside of the spacious Tokyo Dome. And like the opener, the Oakland Athletics looked like they were on the frustrating end of another well-pitched game.

But Yoenis Cespedes hit a two-run home run to propel a three-run seventh to lift the A's to a 4-1 victory.

Bartolo Colon followed up Brandon McCarthy's start with a superb start of his own. Over eight strong innings, Colon held Seattle to three hits and only issued one walk while striking out six. His only mistake was a leadoff opposite-field home run allowed to Mariners first baseman Justin Smoak in the seventh inning. 

For the second straight night, the A's offense was stymied by a Mariners starting pitcher. Jason Vargas kept Oakland off balance with a mix of off-speed pitches and pinpoint fastballs for 6.1 innings.

The A's only had one runner in scoring position in the first six innings. In the seventh, Jemile Weeks led off with a walk. Kurt Suzuki bounced into a fielder's choice before Cespedes hit a slider to center field off of Shawn Kelley over the wall to make it 2-1. Josh Reddick followed with his first home run as an Athletic to right off of George Sherrill to pad the lead.

The A's added insurance when Jonny Gomes hit a two-out solo home run in the eighth inning to end the scoring. 

Grant Balfour pitched a perfect ninth inning for his first save of the season. 

The Good: Bartolo Colon was masterful in his first A's start. Other than one mistake, he was in control for most of the game. And Yoenis Cespedes came through with a clutch, go-ahead home run on a quality slider.

The Bad: Coco Crisp. Small sample size, but he has struggled out of the gate and has not had many quality swings in his first nine at-bats.

The Ugly: N/A

So the A's salvage a split in their "home" series in Tokyo. They will head back to the Bay Area to wrap up the exhibition season before essentially resuming the series with Seattle in Oakland on April 6 and 7.