Mariners fall flat again in loss to Baltimore Orioles

SEATTLE – The formula for the Mariners’ recent slide remains much the same.

Not enough offense early.

Not enough relief late.

And not much of an explanation from manager Dan Wilson about any of it.

“We just haven’t been able to bust it open,” Wilson said after the Mariners’ 3-2 loss Wednesday night, their second straight lackluster defeat to a Baltimore Orioles team that ranked among baseball’s worst coming into the week.

Once again, the Mariners were lifeless for much of the night before 19,231 at T-Mobile Park, spoiling the best start of the season from Emerson Hancock.

The Mariners (32-28) managed just four hits, losing for the sixth time in their past nine games.

They scored only one run in an uninspiring performance Tuesday, and they’ve scored three runs or fewer in nine of their past 14 games, and a shaky stretch for the bullpen continued.

“We put up some good at-bats and we found some barrels late, just not able to cash in,” Wilson said. “And, you know, this is a group – we’ll keep fighting and we’ll find a way and we’ll continue to keep that traffic coming and find ways to bust it open.”

Wilson, trying to protect a 2-1 lead in the seventh, had his bullpen lined up just right with all of his leverage arms rested and ready.

Lefty Gabe Speier came on to record the final out of the sixth inning, needing just three pitches to strike out Gunnar Henderson.

Speier struck out two more in the seventh inning but sandwiched a walk in between.

With two outs, Wilson called on the right-handed Carlos Vargas, who proceeded to walk his first batter, Colby Mayo, on four pitches.

Vargas got ahead of lefty-swinging Heston Kjerstad, but his 0-2 cutter caught too much of the plate and Kjerstad pulled it just fair down the right-field line for a triple, driving in two runs to give the Orioles a 3-2 lead.

The Mariners had taken a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning on Cal Raleigh’s single to left field off Orioles starter Cade Povich, driving in Ben Williamson from second base.

J.P. Crawford advanced to third on the play (Raleigh was out at second trying to advance). And after the Orioles called on right-hander Yennier Cano, Julio Rodriguez hit a grounder to a shortstop, where Henderson was playing in – and threw out Crawford at home. (Initially ruled safe, Crawford was out after a replay review.)

In the eighth inning, Crawford drew a walk with two outs, but Gregory Soto struck out Raleigh swinging through a 3-2 slider to end the inning.

In the ninth, Felix Bautista worked around a Randy Arozarena infield single and a Mitch Garver walk to close it out for the Orioles (24-36), getting Rowdy Tellez to fly out to the warning track in center.

The Orioles have won a season-high five in a row.

The Mariners will turn to Bryan Woo on Thursday afternoon hoping to avoid a sweep.

As the Mariners rotation gets healthier – Logan Gilbert could return from the injured list as soon as next week, depending on how he feels coming off his second rehab start Wednesday evening – Hancock made a strong case to keep his spot in the rotation beyond this week.

The Mariners will have a difficult decision to make whenever Gilbert is ready to return.

They already sent rookie Logan Evans back down to Triple-A Tacoma. Could Hancock be next? Or would the Mariners consider a move with Bryce Miller, who returned from the IL on Saturday?

Hancock allowed only one hit over his first five scoreless innings, and he was back out for the sixth inning, retiring Dylan Carlson, Baltimore’s No. 9 hitter, on a soft lineup and then striking out Jackson Holliday.

The next batter, catcher Adley Rutschman, launched a 415-foot homer off Hancock well out to right field to tie the score at 1-1.

That would be the final pitch of the evening for Hancock, who received a nice ovation from the home crowd as he walked off.

Over his last four starts, Hancock has a 2.91 ERA with a 16-to-6 strikeout to walk ratio over 21-2/3 innings.