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KC@OAK: Milone shines in his A's debut

Jesus Montero was the prized gem the Mariners received from the Yankees over the winter in exchange for right-handed pitching phenom Michael Pineda. Seattle also acquired 24-year-old starter Hector Noesi, for whom the Mariners have high hopes.

Noesi's first start with Seattle, however, was one he hopes to forget.

The right-handed native of the Dominican Republic surrendered seven runs on six hits and three walks, lasting just three-plus innings in an 11-5 loss to Texas.

"I was missing my spots," Noesi said after his season debut. "I just have to concentrate for the next time. If I keep my ball down, I can get better."

Manager Eric Wedge agrees.

"His [third] career start in a very different atmosphere than he's accustomed to, I think all in all he handled himself well," Wedge said. "He just had a few pitches that were right into what they wanted and it hurt him."

When Noesi toes the rubber Saturday against Oakland, he'll be opposed by another starter short on experience.

Athletics southpaw Tom Milone, however, dazzled in his season debut, holding the Royals scoreless on three hits in eight innings. He earned his second career victory in his sixth career start in Oakland's 1-0 triumph.

"He pitched great," catcher Kurt Suzuki said. "Not the best command he would have liked [while walking three], but he found the way. Him being a young guy able to do that at this level is awesome."

Athletics: Injured duo returns to lineup
• Josh Reddick and Cliff Pennington both departed Wednesday's 5-4 win over the Royals, but both were back in the lineup Friday against Seattle.

Reddick left Wednesday's contest after being hit by a pitch that bounced off his right shoulder and caromed into the back of his jaw. Pennington took a foul pitch off his left knee cap.

Mariners: Cameron retires a Mariner
• Mike Cameron signed a one-day employment agreement to officially retire with the Mariners on Friday. A few hours later, the 39-year-old threw out the first pitch at Seattle's home opener at Safeco Field.

"This is probably the one place I feel like is home for me," Cameron said. "I feel like it's a place where, it's a long way from home for me, but it's also been a special home for me. I felt like it was only fitting for me to slide my way into the Mariner family for the rest of my life."

Cameron spent four seasons with Seattle, where he won two Gold Glove Awards (2001, 2003), was elected to his only All-Star Game (2001) and became one of 15 players to ever hit four home runs in one game. He came to the Mariners as part of the trade that sent Ken Griffey Jr. to Cincinnati.

• Seattle recalled southpaw Charlie Furbush from Triple-A Tacoma on Friday after placing George Sherrill on the 15-day disabled list with a sore elbow.

"George has been struggling a little physically and having trouble getting over the hump. So we're going to get him looked at and put him on the DL," Wedge said. "Charlie was the next guy up. He did everything he could to make this team to begin with, but we just weren't able to make it work numbers-wise. So we've got him back up here."

Worth noting
• Oakland has tallied fewer than 10 hits in each of its first eight games, the longest streak to start a season since another eight-game drought in 2001. The club record, recorded in 1978, is 10 games.

• Mariners ace Felix Hernandez has made a league-high three starts (tied with Oakland's Bartolo Colon), all against the Athletics.

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