SEATTLE — It might still be too early for the Seattle Mariners to hit the panic button, but they might want to pump the brakes a few times.
Like now.
That was the general point of a players post-game meeting Tuesday after the Mariners moved to within one game of a winless first homestand in an 8-0 loss to the Texas Rangers.
“You remind yourself,” right fielder Nelson Cruz said. “We are a good team, and I trust what we have as a team.”
The Mariners, at this point, are a club that needs reminding after falling to 2-6. Never before in their 40-year history have they lost their first five home games.
“I don’t think you’ll see a lot of panic,” manager Scott Servais said, “but they also realize we’ve got to get things turned around. Quick. We don’t want to dig ourselves too big of a hole.”
Lefty Wade Miley, in his first career appearance at Safeco Field, gave up five runs in the third inning. Adrian Beltre’s three-run laser over the left-field wall capped the barrage.
That was pretty much it, although Beltre added a two-run double in the seventh inning against reliever Tony Zych.
The Mariners’ attack remains in snooze mode; they have scored just seven runs in their five losses. Four of Tuesday’s starters are now hitting below .200: Robinson Cano, Kyle Seager, Franklin Gutierrez and Dae-Ho Lee.
Combine that with Miley (0-1) giving up six runs in six innings. That makes 11 earned runs in 12 innings over his two starts for an 8.25 ERA.
Not pretty.
That makes five straight losses, all at home, for the Mariners, who look to salvage the final game Wednesday afternoon before departing for a nine-game trip to New York, Cleveland and Anaheim.
Texas lefty Derek Holland (1-0) gave up just four hits in 62/3 innings before Andrew Faulkner and Phil Klein finished up.
The Rangers’ decisive third inning began with singles by Elvis Andrus and Ryan Rua, which put runners at first and third with no outs. Bryan Holaday’s grounder squirted through the left side for an RBI single.
A bunt single by Delino DeShields loaded the bases. Miley and catcher Chris Iannetta collided on the play, and Iannetta’s cleats caught Miley on the back of the left leg.
Miley remained in the game and took a beating of a different sort. Prince Fielder delivered a sacrifice fly before Beltre crushed a 2-2 slider for a three-run homer to left field.
“Beltre hit a pretty good pitch,” Miley said. “It was down and in. You tip your hat sometimes. It’s a bad situation. It’s not that pitch that gets me. It’s the hits before that.”
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