Seattle hits rock bottom

ARLINGTON, Texas – Their most embarrassing performance of the season leaves the Seattle Mariners and legions of shell-shocked fans wondering just how low this team can tumble.

It wasn’t so much that the Mariners were routed for a third consecutive night, this time 12-3 at the hands of the Texas Rangers. The more painful part of Thursday night’s matchup, which dropped the team a season-worst 14 games under .500 and 10 games out of first place, was the seemingly disinterested way the team went about its business.

A third straight night of sloppy play, this time by several fielders, led to eight unearned runs. That simply wasn’t going to cut it on a night when the Mariners had replacement starter Ryan Rowland-Smith getting hit early and often.

Seattle was outscored 24-5 over the final two games here, 31-6 over the last three contests and 33-6 since the third inning of the series opener.

All this continues to transpire with speculation swirling about whether manager Don Wakamatsu has full control over his clubhouse. The departure of Ken Griffey Jr. just more than a week ago has led to ill feelings in the clubhouse about how the final weeks of his tenure in Seattle were handled. Wakamatsu and Griffey had stopped talking to each other the final 10 days or so before the latter’s abrupt resignation. Griffey was upset over a lack of playing time.

Now, with the Mariners having lost six of its last seven games, Wakamatsu and his staff are trying to get this season righted again and avoid another 90-loss – or even 100-loss campaign like the one two years ago.

Rowland-Smith yielded a two-run, 430-foot homer to Josh Hamilton to fall behind 3-0 in the first inning. The Mariners countered with a pair of runs in the top of the second, with huge help from a two-base throwing error by center fielder Julio Borbon on a bloop single by Chone Figgins.

A run scored from second on the error and Figgins was awarded third base. He later scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Franklin Gutierrez.

But the Mariners gave five runs – and effectively the game – right back to the Rangers in the bottom of the second. Michael Young led things off with a solo homer and then, with two on and one out, Figgins let a potential double-play grounder get away from him for an unearned run.

Another run scored when the Mariners were a step late in turning another double-play grounder.

With two out, Matt Treanor singled to bring home the third unearned run of the inning.

Seattle got one back, and then the fielding miscues struck again, leading to five more Texas runs in the sixth.

The Mariners now begin interleague play knowing their schedule doesn’t get any easier. They take on the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals, both of whom began the day second in their respective divisions.

Rangers 12, Mariners 3