Mariners swept by San Diego Padres as struggles on road persist

SAN DIEGO – The best part about this road trip, well, besides the fact it was played in the pleasant climate of Southern California, was that it lasted only three games.

A night after enduring a crushing walkoff loss to the Padres, the Mariners felt no such dramatic agony, because winning didn’t really seem like an option for most of the game in what would be a 5-2 loss Thursday at Petco Park that didn’t really feel that close.

San Diego swept Seattle in the three-game series that’s been marketed as the “Vedder Cup” in honor of Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder. But even Vedder, who often channels angst and anger in his song lyrics, couldn’t accurately portray just how poorly the Mariners have performed in road games this season. In nine games away from T-Mobile Park, the Mariners have won just once – a 3-1 extra-innings victory over the Angels in their first road game of the season on April 3. They have now dropped their last eight road games, losing in a variety of ways.

The Mariners open a six-game homestand Friday night, starting with a three-game series vs. the Texas Rangers.

The Mariners got an uneven start from Luis Castillo, who pitched 51/3 innings, allowing four runs (only one earned) on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts. His outing was damaged by a disastrous second inning in which his defense did him no favors.

With one out, Castillo gave up a double to left-center to Gavin Sheets and a single to Miguel Andujar. Luis Campusano followed with a single to left to score Sheets for a 1-0 lead. The Mariners should’ve gotten an out when Jake Cronenworth hit a comebacker off Castillo’s leg. The ball bounced in front of the mound. Castillo scrambled to it and made an off-balance throw to first. Josh Naylor dropped the ball on the short-hop. Naylor should’ve made the play, but Castillo was charged with an error and the bases were loaded.

It seemed like the Mariners might get an inning-ending double play when Ramon Laureano hit a hard one-hopper to Naylor. But Naylor bobbled the ball and couldn’t make a throw to second or home and settled for touching first base for the second out.

It allowed Fernando Tatis Jr. to come to the plate. The Padres star laced a single up the middle, scoring two more runs for a 4-0 lead.

Meanwhile, the Mariners didn’t do much against veteran right-hander Walker Buehler. He used a variety of offspeed pitches to keep Seattle hitters off-balance. The Mariners picked up a run off Buehler in the sixth on Cal Raleigh’s single to right. Julio Rodriguez followed with a single that scored Raleigh.

But the Mariners couldn’t tack on anymore. With the bases loaded and one out, San Diego manager Craig Stammen brought in lefty specialist Adrian Morejon. He struck out pinch-hitter Connor Joe on three pitches and got J.P. Crawford to ground out to second to end the inning – and the Mariners’ victory hopes.