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Seattle Mariners

Mariners Log: M’s shut out second day in a row by Red Sox

Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais waits for relief pitcher Casey Lawrence after taking starter Rob Whalen out of the game after a two-run home run by Boston Red Sox's Jackie Bradley Jr. during the sixth inning at Fenway Park in Boston on May 27, 2017. (Charles Krupa / Associated Press)
By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

MARINERS SCORELESS STREAK REACHES 20 INNINGS

What happened: Brian Johnson, making his second start of the season and third of his career, tossed a complete game on 109 pitches gave up five hits and no walks with eight strikeouts and the Boston Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 6-0 on Saturday at Fenway Park.

It wasn’t David Price. Or Rick Porcello. No. The Boston starter was a 26-year-old lefty journeyman the limited the Mariners to only five singles over the course of nine innings.

And after the game he was immediately optioned back to AAA Pawtucket.

But it’s even worse than that. Jarrod Dyson and Guillermo Heredia had two hits apiece, so the rest of the M’s lineup mustered a single base hit against Johnson.

Rob Whalen, the latest call-up to the Mariners’ rotation, allowed five runs on seven hits, two walks and two hit by pitches over 5 1/3 innings.

Line Outs

  • Emergency starter Rob Whelan had a rough go of it early. He walked leadoff hitter Mike Betts on four pitches to then hit Dustin Pedroia. Xander Bogaerts singled and Betts scored, but the M’s nailed Pedroia at third, 7-2-5.
  • Andrew Benintendi singled to plate Bogaerts from second and Whelan hit Hanley Ramirez. After a flyout, Jackie Bradley Jr walked to load the bases. Sandy Leon singled to score Benintendi, but Guillermo Heredia threw out Ramirez at home to mercifully end the inning.
  • Whelen settled down in innings two through five, allowing just a couple of base hits.
  • In the sixth, Whalen ran out of gas. With one out Mitch Moreland singled, then Bradley deposited one into the Red Sox bullpen in right center to make it 5-0.
  • Casey Lawrence came on for the first time since Sunday and struck out the next two betters, then tossed a scoreless seventh. But he got into trouble in the eighth, allowing a single to Ramirez, uncorking a wild pitch, then another single to Moreland to score Ramirez.

Highlights: Red Sox 6, Mariners 0

Video via mlb.com

The Takeaway

The Mariners offense continues to be anemic on the road. It should come as an embarrassment to allow an organization depth starter to absolutely dominate them as Johnson did. The M’s have now lost seven of eight with three more games on the road trip. They don’t look like they are playing very hard right now.

Tweet of the Day

Players of the Game

Hero: Guillermo Heredia. 2 for 3, with an outfield assist.

Goat: Take your pick of the 3-4-5-6 hitters.

Next Game

The Seattle Mariners (21-29) at the Boston Red Sox (27-21) on Sunday at 10:35 a.m. at Fenway Park. RHP Christian Bergman (1-2, 6.30) faces RHP Rick Porcello (3-5, 4.35).

What others are saying (and writing)

The Mariners can’t even score right now against Triple A pitchers. Boston’s Brian Johnson is called up, throws a complete game shutout and is sent down. The Red Sox’s 6-0 victory was embarrassing. … There is good news on the injury front. … Talk about roster churn. … In the former Mariner category, Chris Taylor is having a heck of a year for the Dodgers. … Finally, this guy was one of my heroes growing up, and not just as a baseball player. So long Jim.