SEATTLE — Monday's game against the Athletics wasn't a positive one for the Seattle Mariners.

The Mariners began with a 3-0 lead through two innings but surrendered six unanswered runs en route to a 6-4 loss against the Athletics. The Mariners are 10-14 as a result and saw their modest two-game winning streak end.

Seattle's starting pitcher, Emerson Hancock, didn't have his best outing, at least compared to others this season. He struck out three batters and allowed three earned runs on seven hits (three home runs) in five innings pitched.

Even with the outing not being up to his respective standards this year, Hancock did end up securing himself - and the rest of the rotation - a spot in recent MLB history.

In the top of the fifth, Hancock picked off Athletics' right fielder Lawrence Butler at second base. Entering Monday, the former Georgia Bulldog was the only starter on the rotation to not record a pick-off this season.

With Hancock's pick-off, every starter on the rotation has recorded one this season.

According to a note provided by the Mariners PR staff, the M's' rotation is the only one to have at least five starters record a pick-off through the first 24 games of the season since the 2012 Colorado Rockies.

The '12 Rockies starters with a pick-off through that stretch of time were: Jamie Moyer (a former Seattle starter), Drew Pomeranz, Juan Nicasio, Jeremy Guthrie and Jhoulys Chacin.

There has been a more concerted effort from the rotation and the rest of the pitching staff this season in being involved on the defensive side of things, as evidenced by the pick-off stat.

"We do a great job with that," Hancock said after the game. "And that's a point of emphasis. That's something that's very important to us, that's something that's very important to what we do here is limiting free bases and that goes into the run game. Us, as pitchers — the coaches in the dugout, they're seeing certain things. For us, we just need to make sure we can execute it when the situation comes up.

"... Tonight, just one of those deals where, you get him creeping after a stolen base — kind of me with the clock winding down on me. I tried to slide step. (Butler) still got the stolen base. You're trying to limit 90 feet as much as possible."

Whether it's specially a more fine-tuned approach to the fielding aspect of the game, working with infield coach Perry "Bone" Hill or a combination of both, the Mariners rotation has now another effective aspect to its game to limit extra bases. And that will likely continue to play a significant role.

The M's and A's will play again on Tuesday night at 6:40 p.m. PT. Luis Castillo will be on the mound.

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