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Seattle Mariners Bats Silenced Again in 8-3 Loss to San Diego Padres
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- Seattle Mariners Bats Silenced Again in 8-3 Loss to San Diego Padres
Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson speaks to the media following an 8-3 loss to the San Diego Padres on Sunday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. | Teren Kowatsch/Roundtable Sports
SEATTLE — In what has become a common situation this season, the Seattle Mariners offense looked lethargic on Sunday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
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The Mariners were held to just one hit in an 8-3 loss against the San Diego Padres .
All three of Seattle's runs came in the bottom of the sixth inning. San Diego starting pitcher Lucas Giolito gave up three consecutive walks to lead off the inning, which loaded the bases for the Mariners with no outs.
After Giolito issued his third free base, reliever Yuki Matsui entered the game. He issued a walk to first baseman Josh Naylor , left fielder Randy Arozarena hit an RBI sacrifice fly and pinch-hitter/right fielder Rob Refsnyder hit an RBI sac fly of his own.
Unfortunately for Seattle, its deficit was too large for the trio of runs to shift momentum. The Padres' lead was cut from 7-0 to 7-3 with the scores.
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The only hit for the Mariners (22-26) was a single from right fielder Luke Raley in the bottom of the second.
The M's finished the game 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position and left five on base.
"I think up until today, we've done a pretty good job of getting guys on," Seattle manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview Sunday. "Today was a little bit tougher with Giolito and the way he was locating. But I think getting guys on hasn't really been the issue. It's been more about getting them in. I think that's where our consistency will begin, is when we're able to drive that traffic and start consistently getting the runs across the board."
San Diego found itself up 7-0 after a five-run top of the sixth.
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The Padres entered the frame up 2-0 after a solo home run hit by left fielder Gavin Sheets in the top of the first and an RBI single hit by first baseman Ty France in the top of the fifth.
In the sixth, Sheets hit his second homer of the game — a two-run shot to right field — to bolster San Diego's lead to 4-0.
Center fielder Jackson Merrill hit an RBI double and France brought home another two with a two-RBI single on a blooper to center field.
Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby finished his day with six strikeouts, two walks and six earned runs allowed on as many hits (two home runs) in 5.2 innings pitched against the aggressive Padres lineup.
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"I'm not to mad about (Sheets' first home run)," Kirby said after the game. "Some other ones I just didn't really execute very well. I tried to kind of manipulate that changeup a little too much. Right down the middle. ... I think it was just a lack of execution tonight. ... All my pitches felt really good. I think I just tried to do a little too much in certain situations."
Sheets, not content with his two homers earlier in the game, accounted for the final run for San Diego with an RBI double in the top of the seventh that resulted in the eventual final of 8-3.
"They're an aggressive team," Kirby said. "Majority of their lineup is pretty aggressive. Just got to still attack. Throw quality strikes in the zone. There's no reason to stray away from getting ahead, too."
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The loss dropped Seattle to third in the American League West, two games behind the Athletics , and moved the M's out of the final wild card spot in the AL. The Mariners are currently one game behind division rivals, the Texas Rangers for the final playoff spot.
The Mariners will look to snap their three-game skid and get back on track in the first of a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox at 6:40 p.m. PT on Monday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
Bryan Woo will start for Seattle and Noah Schultz will start for Chicago.
Other notes
-- Colt Emerson was called up ahead of the series finale against the Padres and made his major league debut playing third base and batting ninth. He finished the game 0-for-2, scored a run and drew a walk.
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-- Third baseman Brendan Donovan was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left groin strain, which he was also on the shelf for from April 18-May 8, in a corresponding move to Emerson's promotion.. Donovan will get a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection in his left groin muscle and adductor muscle.
-- Shortstop J.P. Crawford exited the game in the top of the fifth due to a contusion in his tricep after he was hit by a pitch in the third inning. Wilson said Crawford was unable to get full extension on his throws in the field.
"I think he'll be OK," Wilson said.
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