Mariners hitting stays cold as New York takes series

SEATTLE — The sample size is small, but so are the batting averages of the heart of the Seattle Mariners order.

The struggles of Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez and Josh Naylor highlighted a 5-3 defeat Wednesday that capped a 2-1 series loss to the New York Yankees.

The Mariners, hoping to find a way to their first World Series in their 50th year of trying, fell to 3-4 in front of 23,415 fans at T-Mobile Park.

“We faced some really tough pitching,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “And no question about it, we faced some tough starters here with the Yankees, and they’ve kept us a little quiet. But again, seeing some of the at-bats later in the ballgame today — and the way the guys have continued to make their adjustments — I think we’ve got good things to come for sure.”

The struggles of Seattle’s No. 2-3-4 hitters were somewhat obscured by strong starting pitching as the Mariners split a four-game series with Cleveland to open the season. The offensive struggles, coupled with uneven starting performances by Logan Gilbert in Tuesday’s 5-0 loss and George Kirby in Wednesday’s defeat, led to lopsided deficits that past two games.

Some days, a starter can allow four runs and keep a team in a game. Not the way it’s going for Seattle’s All-Star caliber hitters, however.

Seattle’s offensive triumverate finished the seven-game homestand 7-for-78 (.090 batting average) with 10 walks, 30 strikeouts, five RBI and one extra-base hit.

“A couple days in a row now, we’ve faced some pretty good starters over there,” Wilson said. “A couple of good outings, with (Max) Fried yesterday. And then (Cam) Schlitter today — thought had good stuff again, and made it tough on us offensively.”

Raleigh put the Mariners briefly back into contention with a bases-loaded, 2-RBI single to trim the deficit to 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth. But the Yankees tacked on another run with Ben Rice’s solo homer off reliever Cooper Criswell, and the M’s top three batters by reputation finished the afternoon 1-for-11 with four strikeouts and no walks.

Rice registered two of New York’s six hits, scored twice and drove in a pair of runs.

The Mariners fell behind by scores of 4-0 and 5-1 before giving themselves a chance with three runs in the final two innings. On a day when Kirby wasn’t on like he’d been in a 5-1 win over Cleveland during his first start of the year, the one-time All-Star needed more backing from his offense.

Kirby (1-1) made it through six innings Wednesday, giving up four earned runs and striking out six batters while allowing five hits and three walks.

All three free passes came around to score on 2-out hits, capped by Paul Goldschmidt’s three-run home run in the sixth.

“It’s just so critical to stay in the zone and make guys beat you,” Kirby said. “Yeah, it just stinks. I felt really good that whole game. Two walks there in the sixth, and then the homer really stinks. So I just got to recommit, find a way to just get back in the zone and just keep battling.”

It was Mariners No. 8 hitter Cole Young who battled until the final pitch as Seattle attempted to steal the series from New York.

Naylor opened the ninth by closing the book on the Nos. 2-4 hitters’ homestand with a groundout. Randy Arozarena smoked a line drive off the tip of third baseman Ryan McMahon’s glove for a double, and later trotted home on Dominic Canzone’s single to right.

Young (1-for-4, run, strikeout) fouled off five pitches during a 10-pitch at-bat before driving a ball to right-center field, where it was caught for the final out by reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge, who was booed constantly throughout the series.

“Just a great at-bat from Cole again,” Wilson said. “It really sort of typifies the way this team fights and fights, fights you until the end. And to see that from Cole, you know, to see the diving or the backhand play that he made today with the jump throw. He’s really starting to feel the confidence, and I think really starting to feel the flow here a little bit.”

Kirby got two outs to begin the first inning, but walked Cody Bellinger on a fastball that just missed low and inside. Bellinger stole second when Raleigh’s throw went wide of shortstop Leo Rivas’ glove. He came home on Rice’s double down the left field line for the game’s first run.

Kirby walked two batters in the sixth inning, and paid for the passes again when Goldschmidt hit a fastball near the middle of the plate over the left field fence and into the Mariners bullpen for a 4-0 lead.

“Walks are going to happen,” Wilson said. You know, it does seem like they come back to haunt you often, and that’s why a big part of what we talk about is dominating the zone and getting ahead. And George does that very effectively. Every once in a while it’s going to happen where you’re going to walk a guy, but for the most part, I think George is on the attack, and I think that’s where he’s at his best, is when he’s on the attack.”