Mariners pour it on in New York

NEW YORK – Jerry Manuel’s first week as New York Mets manager mirrored the tenure of predecessor Willie Randolph – up and down, with some encouraging performances and a few letdowns.

And Manuel already seems frustrated by the Mets’ erratic play.

Raul Ibanez homered and drove in three runs, knuckleballer R.A. Dickey tossed seven sharp innings and the Seattle Mariners blew out New York 11-0 Tuesday night.

“Right now we’re just a bad offensive club, period,” Manuel said.

Richie Sexson had three RBIs and Kenji Johjima hit a two-run shot for Seattle, which took advantage of a shaky Oliver Perez to boost it’s A.L.-worst road record to 13-25. The Mariners also improved to 7-1 all-time against the Mets.

“Kenji, along with Richie, they’ve battled,” said manager Jim Riggleman, who took over the Mariners when John McLaren was fired Thursday. “They’ve had some tough times, but are swinging the bats better.”

Dickey (2-3) allowed six hits and struck out five to earn his first win as a starter since Sept. 18, 2005, for Texas against Seattle. He also improved to 2-11 in his last 19 starts.

Dickey said he talked to Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield on Monday night, and a little help from his fellow knuckleballer helped him lower his ERA from 5.77 to 4.79.

“I hope I can be consistent,” Dickey said. “I had a good knuckleball. I was able to take the spin off it, threw it for strikes.”

A little consistency is also the objective for New York, which absorbed its second consecutive loss since coming home from an eventful road trip. A couple of Mets lost their tempers, too, as Manuel and slugger Carlos Beltran were ejected.

Johjima, who entered with a .218 batting average, hit a 2-1 pitch from Perez into the visitors’ bullpen in left to give Seattle a 5-0 lead in the third inning. Johjima’s two-out drive was his third of the year and scored Sexson, who was aboard after a one-out single.

Perez (5-5) struck out Willie Bloomquist to get out of the inning, and the Shea Stadium crowd booed as the left-hander made his way to the dugout.

“Just a bad day,” he said.

Perez allowed six runs, five earned, and seven hits in five innings. He is 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA in his last seven starts.

Sexson hit sacrifice flies in the first and sixth, then doubled in a run in the ninth. The big first baseman, who entered with a .210 average, went 2 for 3.

Mark Lowe replaced Dickey in the eighth and got six outs to complete the eight-hitter, Seattle’s fourth shutout this season. The Mets were blanked for the second time.

Seattle won consecutive road games for the first time since April 17-18 in Oakland.

Hernandez hopeful for Sunday

Felix Hernandez hobbled around the Mariners clubhouse Tuesday with a walking boot protecting his injured left ankle, and manager Jim Riggleman said the ace right-hander still hopes to make his next start.

Hernandez sprained his ankle covering home plate on a wild pitch in the fifth inning of the Mariners’ 5-2 win over the New York Mets on Monday night. Hernandez, who was one out short of being eligible for a win, tried to stay in but left after a painful warmup pitch.

“Felix is OK,” Riggleman said. “He thinks he’ll pitch Sunday and that’s his scheduled day, but I don’t know that he will. Certainly I’m going to be a little more conservative than that. If we get him back a couple days after Sunday, I’d be really happy.”

The Mariners said Hernandez has a mild sprain and the boot is to help prevent swelling.

M’s complete Norton trade

The Mariners and Atlanta Braves completed their May 5 trade for first baseman-outfielder Greg Norton when Atlanta sent minor league left-handed pitcher Nelson Payano to Seattle.

Payano, 25, was 3-2 with a 3.95 ERA in 27 games for Double-A Mississippi. He spent most of the 2007 season at Class A Myrtle Beach, where he was 4-4 with a 3.56 ERA.