Fernando Rodney’s meltdown in ninth inning denies Mariners a chance for a sweep

DENVER – Maybe Fernando Rodney isn’t quite fixed.

The Mariners saw the chance for a three-game sweep at Coors Field slip away Wednesday when Rodney blew a two-run lead in the ninth inning before they fell 7-5 to the Colorado Rockies in 11 innings.

The end came when Michael McKenry launched a two-run homer against Mayckol Guaipe on a hanging two-out slider that ended the 4-hour, 6-minute marathon.

But make no mistake: The Mariners spit back the chance to stoke some recent momentum by again placing their trust in Rodney with the game on the line.

“It’s a shame,” manager Lloyd McClendon said. “I used a bullpen that was on fumes going into the off day (today). They all came through. Rodney walks a guy … and a bloop here. It’s just a tough ninth inning.”

To be fair, Rodney did have a string of five consecutive hitless outings, covering 5 1/3 innings, when he replaced Joe Beimel with a 5-3 lead, one out and nobody on base.

Problems started immediately, though.

Rodney walked D.J. LeMahieu, who scored on Ben Paulsen’s line-drive RBI double into the left-center gap.

Kyle Parker followed with a game-tying RBI single to right.

Rodney said the pitches to Paulsen and Parker weren’t mistakes.

“I can’t throw a pitch better than that (to Paulsen),” Rodney said. “It was a good pitch. Down. He just … (Rodney pantomimed a lunging swing). In this park, everything in the air (is trouble).

“Most of the time in that situation, I try to get a ground ball to get a double play and get out of the inning. I think I made a good pitch. You can see that ball was down.

“It was a good pitch, too,” Rodney insisted on the pitch to Parker.

After a two-out walk moved the winning run into scoring position, McClendon summoned Rob Rasmussen, who stranded two runners and got the game to extra innings.

The Mariners missed a chance to regain the lead in the 10th inning after Logan Morrison worked back from a 0-2 hole against Christian Friedrich for a walk. Mike Zunino followed with a four-pitch walk.

The runners moved to second and third on Seth Smith’s sacrifice bunt.

Rafael Betancourt replaced Friedrich, and the Rockies shortened their infield. Ketel Marte struck out looking, and opportunity slipped away when Kyle Seager popped to left.

Paulsen started the winning rally with a one-out single to center. Guaipe (0-3) struck out Parker before McKenry drove a 2-2 curve over the left-field wall.