SEATTLE (AP) - One at bat kept Brandon McCarthy from having a great night.

Nothing stopped Felix Hernandez, though. He outpitched McCarthy and the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 1-0 Thursday night.

Adam Kennedy homered in the fourth inning for Seattle and Hernandez - used to pitching with little or no run support - made it stand up.

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``It's certainly an at-bat I'd like to have back,' McCarthy said. ``I got behind him and then had to come into his wheelhouse with that pitch. Going against Felix, you know you have to do your best to avoid at_bats like that.'

The A's threatened in the eighth and ninth, but couldn't get through.

Jamey Wright took over in the eighth with two outs and Pennington on second and DeJesus on first. Conor Jackson grounded out on his first pitch to end the inning.

``It couldn't be a better situation for me, runner in scoring position in the eighth,' Jackson said. ``Got a good pitch to hit and just didn't do much with it.'

Brandon League pitched the ninth for his fourth save in four chances but it wasn't easy.

He gave up a leadoff single to Willingham, who reached second on Ryan Sweeney's groundout. Kurt Suzuki then popped out to first, with Kennedy making a nifty, over-the-shoulder catch, and Mark Ellis popped out to the catcher.

Hernandez is 11-4 in 19 career starts against the A's with a 2.61 ERA. He has won 10 of his last 12 decisions against Oakland since April 2, 2007.

McCarthy went eight innings for his second career complete game. He allowed four hits while walking one and striking out six. His ERA is now 2.10.

``Our guy went out and threw a great game, too,' Jackson said. ``It's a shame we kind of wasted it for him.'

His other complete game was May 24, 2009 when he was with Texas against Houston.

Over the past seven games, the A's starters have a 1.13 earned run average. Overall, the staff leads the major leagues with a 2.52 ERA.

Carlos Peguero got his first major league hit by beating out a single to shortstop in the third. He was then quickly picked off first.

This was the 41st 1-0 victory in Mariners history, the third for Hernandez. It also was the 25th time in club history the Mariners have shut out the A's.

Notes: Both teams had late lineup changes. Mariners LF Milton Bradley was scratched because of an upset stomach. An illness also forced 1B Daric Barton out of Oakland's. Barton pinch hit in the eighth. ... RHP Shawn Kelley, who had Tommy John surgery on Sept. 1 last year, joined the Mariners after his extended spring in Arizona. ``It definitely feels like there's a light at the end of the tunnel, getting out of Arizona,' he said. He's hoping to return by June 1. ... A's LHP Dallas Braden had his ailing shoulder examined by noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Lewis Yocum and he found no structural damage. ``Just a little stiffness in the shoulder,' A's manager Bob Geren said. ``We'll treat him and go from there.' ... A's RHP Michael Wuertz, on the DL with a strained left hamstring, threw 39 pitches for Triple-A Sacramento Wednesday. He will throw again Saturday.