M’s dive continues in 1-0 loss

SEATTLE – Right now, it not only seems the 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 send the Mariners to their seventh straight loss. 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. 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 42/3 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. He has allowed a run in nine of 13 appearances since May 1. The Mariners have lost seven straight, all during this homestand, and have been outscored 28-13, leaving 62 runners on base. They are hitting just .159 (10 of 63) with runners in scoring position. 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. 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. The Mariners have scored two runs in their last 27 innings. Happ deserved better. He worked around a major jam in the fifth after Jake Elmore’s one-out double into the left-field corner. Elmore moved to third on a wild pitch, but Happ struck out Asdrubal Cabrera and Kevin Kiermaier. The Mariners then stirred when Miller led off with a squib single, went to second on Zunino’s grounder to first and Ackley drew a four-pitch walk. Odorizzi appeared to pull something in his left side on the final pitch to Ackley, and then pulled up in pain after his first pitch to Logan Morrison. Odorizzi left the game, but the Mariners couldn’t cash the opportunity against Cedeno. Morrison grounded out to third and Cano, with runners at second and third, grounded out to first. Happ also stranded two runners in the sixth when Forsythe lined out to third. The Rays put runners at first and second with one out in the first inning on singles by Brandon Guyer and Evan Longoria. But the threat fizzled when they attempted a double steal. Happ trapped Guyer between second and third for an out, then ended the inning with a strikeout. The Mariners got two-out singles in the first from Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager, but Mark Trumbo grounded into a force at second. Morrison extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a one-out single in the third, but Odorizzi retired Cano on a fly to left and Cruz on a grounder to first.