The Mariners earned a chorus of boos as they failed to secure a series split against their American League West rivals.
SEATTLE — At this point last year, the Seattle Mariners were a day away from beginning a 17-4 stretch en route to the franchise's first division title in 24 years.
How much difference a year makes.
The Mariners suffered one of their most disappointing losses of the season on Saturday: a 6-2 result against the Athletics at T-Mobile Park. The M's dropped the four-game series and fell 11 games below .500 (66-77) as a result. A far cry from the World Series aspirations the team entered the season with, and the disappointment was palpable after the game.
"It always feels that way when you can't get much going offensively," Seattle manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview Saturday. "(Athletics starter Jeffrey Springs) was pitching us tough and we just weren't able to make the adjustments we needed to. ... It's frustrating, of course. And I think we all feel that. But that's not gonna stop us from continuing to work and continuing to prepare. And we got come back tomorrow and get ready to play."
The disappointment wasn't just felt by the skipper and players. The 40,950 people in attendance park made their frustrations vocal as well.
A two-run home run hit by A's right fielder Lawrence Butler in the top of the eighth resulted in the visitors' final runs of the game and bolstered their advantage to 6-0. A chorus of boos rained down from the fans following the homer, as well as several other points throughout the night.
The frustration built throughout the game after the Mariners offense was held almost completely silent for the majority of the game.
Through seven innings, the Athletics led 4-0 and Seattle had yet to record a plate appearance with a runner in scoring position. The Mariners had four runners reach base at that point via two walks and two hits. Both knocks were singles from catcher Cal Raleigh.
A's starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs was responsible for Seattle's lethargy on offense through that point. He struck out seven batters walked two and allowed two hits in seven innings of work.
Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby also finished with a quality start in his own right, but the Athletics were able to get enough damage that Seattle was incapable of sorting through Saturday.
Kirby finished his outing with five strikeouts, one walk and four runs allowed (three earned) on seven hits (one homer) in 6.2 innings pitched.
A's designated hitter Max Muncy hit a solo homer in the top of the second, left fielder Henry Bolte hit an RBI double in the third, Muncy had his second RBI courtesy of a single in the fourth and second baseman Donovan Walton hit an RBI double to put the M's in their 4-0 hole.
"Losing is never fun," Kirby said after the game. "Especially (with) the talent in this room. We just got to figure it out. Just pull our heads out of you-know-where and keep attacking the day, day-by-day, and having each other's back and just going out there and competing. We just got to compete until the end. That's our focus. Just turn it around."
The Mariners offense was able to get a spark going after Springs' night had ended.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, second baseman Cole Young was hit by a pitch and left fielder Randy Arozarena hit a single two batters later to set Seattle up with runners at first and second with two outs. Right fielder Dominic Canzone hit an RBI single to bring in the Mariners' first run of the game.
Raleigh, who reached in the bottom of the ninth via a lead-off double, was moved to third on a single hit by shortstop J.P. Crawford and scored on a wild pitch for the eventual final of 6-2.
Seattle will look to salvage a game in the fourth contest of the series at 1:10 p.m. PT on Sunday. Bryan Woo will start for the Mariners and Gage Jump will start for the Athletics.
