SEATTLE — Right now, it not only seems the Seattle Mariners might never win again, their veteran attack, loaded with former All-Stars, completely flatlined Friday in a 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
That’s not all.
Beleaguered closer Fernando Rodney served up a leadoff home run in the ninth inning to Logan Forsythe that broke open a scoreless game and sent the Mariners to their seventh straight loss.
“It was inside,” Rodney said. “It was a good pitch. Maybe he was waiting for that pitch. He got it.”
Forsythe said, “Leading off of Rodney, with the stuff he has, I was trying not to do too much. I got one over the white of the plate, and I got the barrel to it, and I got it out of the park.
“Those games sometimes come down to one swing. I was just lucky to get the barrel to it and help us out a little bit.”
Had it ended there, that would be bad enough.
But that’s still not all.
Austin Jackson opened the bottom of the inning with a triple into the right-center gap against Kevin Jepsen.
The Rays shortened their infield for Brad Miller, who struck out. The infield remained in for Mike Zunino, who flied to right. The ball wasn’t deep enough for even Jackson to score.
Dustin Ackley then flied out.
“We put ourselves in position, time and time again, to score runs,” manager Lloyd McClendon said, “and we just didn’t get it done.”
It’s getting grim.
Tampa Bay lost starter Jake Odorizzi in the fifth inning because of a tightness in his left oblique but patched together 4 2/3 scoreless innings from three relievers.
Andrew Bellotti (2-0) pitched three innings and got the victory when Jepsen pulled his escape in the ninth. Rodney (2-3) was the loser.
The Mariners continue to waste some marvelous pitching in this skid.
Taijuan Walker gave up three runs in eight innings Wednesday in a loss to the Yankees. Roenis Elias gave up two runs in eight innings Thursday in a loss to the Rays.
Now, Happ pitches seven shutout innings and gets a no-decision.
“Our pitching has been outstanding for several days,” McClendon said. “It’s very encouraging, which leads me to believe when we do come out of this, we’re going to go on a tear.
“The only way you come out of it is to stay the course.”
The Mariners had a chance to position Happ for a victory in the seventh when they loaded the bases against Bellotti by sandwiching two walks around a single.
With the crowd roaring, Robinson Cano grounded to first — which turned the cheers to loud boos.
Cano had a similar two-out opportunity in the fifth with runners at second and third but grounded out against Xavier Cedeno.
“I’m not pressing,” Cano insisted. “Right now, it’s a whole team situation. We’ve just got to keep grinding and keep fighting. I’m always going to stay positive.
“I hit a ground ball with the bases loaded today, and I might have the same situation tomorrow and hit a double or get a single. That’s how this game is.”
The Mariners have scored two runs in their last 27 innings.
“I guarantee you,” Cano said, “when we get out of this, we’re going to have a lot of fun.”
Unlike now.
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