OAKLAND, Calif. - After two days of bobbles by the home team, the Mariners had their own defensive problems. Mostly thanks to the sun.

Seattle still left its tough Bay Area trip with a winning series - and new manager Eric Wedge is off to a strong start leading a club picked to finish last in the AL West.

Ryan Langerhans homered in the second inning but the Mariners managed little else against Gio Gonzalez in a 7-1 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, preventing a Seattle sweep.

"That's great momentum. You want to come out of the gates strong," Langerhans said, summing up the first three games. "You've seen it tons of times where teams that weren't predicted to be in the thick of things get some (early) momentum and are able to keep it rolling. That's something we have to do."

Ichiro Suzuki finished his first three games at 5 for 12 (.417). The leadoff hitter broke Edgar Martinez's franchise hits record during Saturday night's 5-2 win, then added another single Sunday.

Japanese countryman Hideki Matsui, Oakland's new designated hitter, doubled to start the second inning for his first hit of the year after an 0-for-7 start, then added an RBI single in a four-run seventh.

"I feel relief just getting my first hit as a member of the A's and getting our first win," Matsui said. "I'm not really focused on my hits between Japan and the big leagues."

The A's celebrated Japanese Heritage Day and raised money for earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan. Oakland observed a pregame moment of silence to remember the victims of the devastating March 11 disaster. Opening-day uniforms worn Friday and autographed by Suzuki and Matsui were auctioned off to aid the Red Cross, raising more than $10,000 between the two. Suzuki's uniform sold for $6,015 and Matsui's went for $4,555.