Seattle’s offense slumbers in loss to Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Seattle Mariners could use Franklin Gutierrez’s glove and bat. Luckily for them, he could be back soon.
Gutierrez is on the disabled list with stomach gastritis but is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Class A High Desert today. In the meantime, the Mariners’ offense continues to struggle.
Seattle managed just six hits in a 5-1 loss at Kansas City on Thursday night that was called after 71/2 innings because of rain. The Mariners are batting .218 with 44 runs in 13 games, and dropped to 1-7 when they score fewer than four runs.
Gutierrez led the club with 62 RBIs last season. The speedy outfielder also set a major league record with 415 errorless chances last season, winning a Gold Glove.
“We really do miss him,” manager Eric Wedge said. “We’re hopeful to get him out and start a rehab assignment (today). That’s a very positive step. We miss his presence in center field and being around the clubhouse and obviously a right-handed bat, too. We need that from him.”
Royals left-hander Bruce Chen (2-0) walked one in his fourth career complete game and second in his last four starts dating to his final game last year. He improved to 4-0 against the Mariners and has won his last six decisions overall to even his career record at 50-50.
Adam Kennedy hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth for Seattle’s only run. It was unearned after first baseman Kila Ka’aihue committed an error.
“To a man they are pushing a little bit to try to get out of this funk we are in offensively,” Wedge said. “We had our opportunities, We just couldn’t take advantage of them.”
Doug Fister (0-3) allowed five runs and eight hits in seven innings for Seattle. Alex Gordon hit a two-run double off Fister in the third and scored on Billy Butler’s single for a 3-0 lead. Wilson Betemit homered in the fourth and had a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki singled in the third and fifth, matching George Brett’s Kauffman Stadium record of nine consecutive multihit games. He’s hit safely in 15 straight games in Kansas City.
| Seattle | AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. |
| I.Suzuki rf | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .264 |
| Figgins 3b | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .167 |
| Bradley lf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .255 |
| A.Kennedy dh | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
| Smoak 1b | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .273 |
| Olivo c | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .162 |
| M.Saunders cf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .200 |
| Ryan ss | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .212 |
| J.Wilson 2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .207 |
| Totals | 31 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Kansas City | AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | Avg. |
| Getz 2b | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .317 |
| Me.Cabrera cf | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .300 |
| Gordon lf | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .345 |
| Butler dh | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .341 |
| Ka’aihue 1b | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .194 |
| Francoeur rf | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .294 |
| Betemit 3b | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .387 |
| B.Pena c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .273 |
| A.Escobar ss | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .235 |
| Totals | 26 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Seattle | 000 | 000 | 01—1 | 6 | 0 |
| Kansas City | 003 | 101 | 0x—5 | 8 | 2 |
E—Betemit (1), Ka’aihue (1). LOB—Seattle 8, Kansas City 3. 2B—Figgins (3), Ryan (2), Gordon (7). HR—Betemit (1). RBIs—A.Kennedy (1), Gordon 2 (9), Butler (7), Betemit 2 (7). S—Getz. SF—A.Kennedy, Betemit. RLSP—Seattle 3. GIDP—Ka’aihue. DP—Seattle 1.
| Seattle | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
| Fister L, 0-3 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 3.86 |
| Kansas City | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
| Chen W, 2-0 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2.37 |
T—1:53 (Rain delay: 0:47). A—8,811 (37,903).