Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki goes high to try and snag a throw as the Mariners’ Ichiro Suzuki steals second during the sixth inning Friday night. Suzuki advanced to third on the play. (Jack Dempsey, The )

These are the times that try Rockies’ fans souls.

On a night when the Rockies finally got some decent starting pitching at Coors Field, their bats went stone cold.

The Rockies were dominated by Seattle right-hander Kevin Millwood in a 4-0 loss. He flirted with a no-hitter and finished with a complete-game two-hitter. It was his first shutout in nearly nine years.

Millwood, 37, pitched for the Rockies last season. There was some interest in his returning, but the two sides could never agree on a free-agent deal, so Millwood signed with the Mariners.

Turning point. It’s safe to say it came in the very first inning when Millwood set the Rockies down in order, striking out Marco Scutaro and

inducing weak grounders from Jordan Pacheco and Carlos Gonzalez.

On the mound. Rockies starter Alex White pitched a solid seven innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits. He struck out seven and didn’t walk any. He did give up a solo home run to Mike Carp in the second inning.

“In my last outing, where I got hurt was not going after guys,” White said. “We have talked about that. With the stuff I have, I have to go after guys.

“The home run? That’s going to hpen. Nine times out of 10 he’s not going to hit that out of the park. I can live with that. I felt like I had good stuff tonight.”

Millwood, mixing a good fastball with sharp off-speed stuff, no-hit the Rockies through 5M innings. In the fifth, he struck out Michael Cuddyer looking on a 92 mph fastball, then struck out catcher Wilin Rosario looking, baffling him with a 75 mph curveball.

Millwood tossed the 22nd complete game of his career and his sixth career shutout.

After stints with the Yankees and Red Sox last season, he joined the Rockies’ rotation last August after Juan Nicasio was lost for the season after getting struck by a line drive and breaking his neck. Millwood wound up 4-3 with a 3.98 ERA for the Rockies in nine starts and was arguably their best pitcher during the final five weeks of the season.

Millwood signed a minor league contract with Seattle and was winless in his first six games this season, before beating the Yankees last Sunday.

Scutaro broke up the no-no with a questionable infield hit in the sixth, and Pacheco followed that up with a solid single up the middle. Scutaro, however, was thrown out by center fielder Michael Saunders as he tried to reach third off Pacheco’s hit.

It was the Rockies’ only real threat of the night.

“That was a bad play by me,” Scutaro said. “I have to make sure on a play like that. That was a perfect throw, but that’s not an excuse. I have to be smarter than that.”

At the plate. Seattle, hitting .230 as a team entering the game, struck quickly. A triple by Saunders and an RBI-single by Kyle Seager put the Mariners ahead 1-0 in the first. Carp’s solo homer in the second made it 2-0.

In the sixth, Ichiro Suzuki singled, stole second and advanced to third on Rosario’s wayward throw. Suzuki scored on Seager’s sacrifice fly.

The Rockies got shut out for the second time this season, both times at Coors Field. The first was a 7-0 loss to the Giants’ Barry Zito in the home opener.

Colorado managed just two hits off Millwood, a season low.

“He was painting the corners and really mixing his pitches,” Scutaro said.

Tracy tipped his c to Millwood, adding that he didn’t think the Rockies’ proach at the plate was bad.

“I didn’t see us getting ourselves out swinging at foolish pitches,” Tracy said. “I saw a guy that was throwing strikes to both sides of the plate effectively.”

What it means. The Rockies, who keep inventing new ways to lose, fell to 1-2 on the current homestand. They are 9-12 at home, 4-12 in a miserable May and 15-23 overall.

The next two games are critical, because the Rockies embark on a six-game road trip beginning Monday in Miami.

The Seattle Mariners snped a four-game skid in their opener in Detroit, and they have to feel awfully confident about securing a series victory with the man they’ll send to the mound next.

Coming off a 12-strikeout effort, Felix Hernandez looks to become the first pitcher in 23 years to win a ninth straight decision against the Tigers on Wednesday night.

Seattle (8-10) lost six of nine on a homestand prior to arriving in Detroit, including their last four while totaling eight runs. The offense broke out at Comerica Park on Tuesday, pounding out a season-high 15 hits in a 7-4 victory.

“Our team did a pretty good job putting pressure on the pitcher,” said infielder Alex Liddi, who had a career-high three hits. “Every inning, we had somebody on base, so it was a really good game for us.”

It was the Mariners’ sixth win in eight games against Detroit (10-7) – all in the Motor City – and now they’ll turn to the pitcher who’s been responsible for tormenting the Tigers for even longer. Hernandez is 8-0 with a 3.05 ERA in his last nine starts in the series, posting quality starts in his last seven without allowing a homer in 47 2-3 innings.

With a victory Wednesday, Hernandez will become the first pitcher since Dennis Lamp in 1989 to win nine decisions in a row against Detroit. Lamp’s streak of 11 consecutive victories – six as a starter – versus the Tigers began in 1982 and saw him pitch for the Chicago White Sox, Toronto, Oakland and Boston.

Hernandez (1-1, 2.76 ERA) only faced one team – the A’s – in his first three outings this season, and he turned in his best performance so far when he finally saw someone else. The right-hander held the Indians to five hits and struck out 12 over eight scoreless innings Thursday, but Brandon League couldn’t close it as the Mariners lost 2-1.

“Felix was incredible tonight,” manager Eric Wedge said. “… Just a tremendous effort.”

Though Hernandez has fared very well against the Tigers throughout his career, Miguel Cabrera is 9 for 18 with three walks when facing the 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner.

Cabrera homered Tuesday and is 12 for 29 (.414) over his last seven games.

Detroit’s offense may need to provide a decent amount of support if it plans on winning with Adam Wilk (0-2, 4.00) on the hill. The rookie left-hander gave up only three hits – thought two were homers – while lasting five innings in his first career start ril 14, but he allowed 10 hits and three runs while only getting through four in Thursday’s 10-3 loss to Texas.

Wilk has actually pitched in the same game as Hernandez before, giving up a two-run homer to Justin Smoak in the ninth inning of a 7-3 Seattle win at Comerica on June 12. Hernandez went eight in that contest before League pitched the ninth.

League hasn’t allowed a run to the Tigers in 16 pearances spanning 18 innings dating to September 2006.

Liddi started at first base Tuesday with Smoak dealing with soreness in his right hamstring, but Smoak should be back in the lineup Wednesday.

Detroit should hope he needs a few more days to recover. Smoak hit five of his 15 homers last season against the Tigers, including four at Comerica.

Vargas struck out seven in seven innings to end the Indians’ four-game winning streak and give Seattle a 4-1 win Wednesday night.

“I was able to locate my fastball early in the game and kind of put them on the defensive,” Vargas said.

Just 11,343 watched the game, setting a new record-low at Safeco Field, which was built in 1999. The previous low was 11,701 against Baltimore on May 31, 2011.

Brandon League pitched the bottom of the ninth for his fifth straight save.

Derek Lowe (2-1) pitched 4 1-3 innings, allowed two home runs, four earned runs and walked six — one short of his career-high.

Chone Figgins and Ichiro Suzuki provided a brisk start for the Mariners. Figgins turned an eight-pitch at-bat into his eighth career leadoff home run and first of the season. It was Figgins’ first home run since ril 1, 2011.

“Usually try to get one a year,” Figgins said. “Maybe I can try to get some more this year.”

Ichiro followed two batters later with his first home run of the year when he hit a drive to right-center field. That was his first home run batting third after hitting 94 batting leadoff, and one batting second, leaving him four shy of 100 career homers.

Vargas teetered in the sixth when he loaded the bases after walking designated hitter Travis Hafner. But, he struck out Shelley Duncan with a changeup and got a groundout to shortstop from Jose Lopez.

“Really had to bow his neck there in the sixth to get through that,” Wedge said. “He really had to step up there, wanted to give him the opportunity, and he did.”

The Mariners tacked on a run in the bottom of the second when Jesus Montero was walked on four pitches, pushing Brendan Ryan across the plate. But Lowe was able to get Kyle Seager to fly out to left field with the bases loaded to avoid further damage.

Cleveland shortstop Jason Donald bunted Aaron Cunningham to third after Cunningham doubled to open the third inning. Jason Kipnis’ sacrifice fly to center field drove Cunningham in for Cleveland’s first run.

Dustin Ackley drove in Ryan with a single to center to expand the Mariners’ lead to 4-1. Lowe staved off a bigger inning by getting Montero to ground into a double play.

Lowe’s bumpy night ended in the fifth following a single by Miguel Olivo that put runners on first and third with one out. Lowe threw 4 ? innings, allowed two home runs, four earned runs and walked six, just one short of his career-high. It was his shortest outing of the young season.

“I think a guy had a remote out in right, but we caught him,” Lowe said. “He had a button he was pressing, moving the plate around.”

Jairo Asencio replaced Lowe and held off the Mariners in the fifth by getting Munenori Kawasaki to pop out and Brendan Ryan to ground out on a close play at first.

Ackley played first base for the first time in his Major League career. Regular first baseman Justin Smoak sat out Wednesday because of tightness in his right hamstring. He’s day-to-day after first feeling the tightness last Saturday.

NOTES: Cleveland starter Jeanmar Gomez was suspended five games Wednesday for throwing at Kansas City’s Mike Moustakas last weekend. Gomez will peal and make his normal turn in the rotation Saturday at Oakland. … Cleveland manager Manny Acta and third baseman Jack Hannahan were also fined. … Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager came into Wednesday 14 for 22 (.636) against Cleveland in his career. … Tuesday night’s rally from seven down was Cleveland’s largest comeback since an 11-10 win May 25, 2009 vs. Tampa Bay when the Indians entered the bottom of the fourth trailing 10-0. … Mariners catcher Adam Moore tore the medial meniscus in his right knee while playing for Triple-A Tacoma. He will have surgery Thursday.

Jason Vargas threw seven innings and the top of the order provided pop for the Seattle Mariners in a 4-1 win Wednesday night over the Cleveland Indians before the smallest crowd in the history of Safeco Field.

Brandon League pitched the bottom of the ninth for his fifth straight save. Just 11,343 watched the game, setting a new record-low at Safeco Field, which was built in 1999. The previous low was 11,701 against Baltimore on May 31, 2011.

Derek Lowe (2-1) pitched 4 1-3 innings, allowed two home runs, four earned runs and walked six _ one short of his career-high.

Chone Figgins and Ichiro Suzuki provided a brisk start for the Mariners. Figgins turned an eight-pitch at-bat into his eighth career leadoff home run and first of the season. It was Figgins’ first home run since ril 1, 2011.

Ichiro followed two batters later with his first home run of the year when he hit a drive to right-center field. That was his first home run batting third after hitting 94 batting leadoff, and one batting second, leaving him four shy of 100 career homers.

Meanwhile, Vargas zipped along. He struck out four consecutive batters, starting at the end of the third and extending through the fourth. It was part of seven consecutive retired by the left-hander.

Vargas teetered in the sixth when he loaded the bases after walking designated hitter Travis Hafner. But, he struck out Shelley Duncan with a changeup and got a groundout to shortstop from Jose Lopez.

He came back to throw a 1-2-3 seventh inning to finish a solid effort during which he allowed just four hits and a run. He struck out seven and walked three.

The Mariners tacked on a run in the bottom of the second when Jesus Montero was walked on four pitches, pushing Brendan Ryan across the plate. But Lowe was able to get Kyle Seager to fly out to left field with the bases loaded to avoid further damage.

Cleveland shortstop Jason Donald bunted Aaron Cunningham to third after Cunningham doubled to open the third inning. Jason Kipnis’ sacrifice fly to center field drove Cunningham in for Cleveland’s first run.

Dustin Ackley drove in Ryan with a single to center to expand the Mariners’ lead to 4-1. Lowe staved off a bigger inning by getting Montero to ground into a double play.

Lowe’s bumpy night ended in the fifth following a single by Miguel Olivo that put runners on first and third with one out. Lowe threw 4 ? innings, allowed two home runs, four earned runs and walked six, just one short of his career-high. It was his shortest outing of the young season.

Jairo Asencio replaced Lowe and held off the Mariners in the fifth by getting Munenori Kawasaki to pop out and Brendan Ryan to ground out on a close play at first.

Ackley played first base for the first time in his Major League career. Regular first baseman Justin Smoak sat out Wednesday because of tightness in his right hamstring. He’s day-to-day after first feeling the tightness last Saturday.

NOTES: Cleveland starter Jeanmar Gomez was suspended five games Wednesday for throwing at Kansas City’s Mike Moustakas last weekend. Gomez will peal and make his normal turn in the rotation Saturday at Oakland. . Cleveland manager Manny Acta and third baseman Jack Hannahan were also fined. . Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager came into Wednesday 14 for 22 (.636) against Cleveland in his career. . Tuesday night’s rally from seven down was Cleveland’s largest comeback since an 11-10 win May 25, 2009 vs. Tampa Bay when the Indians entered the bottom of the fourth trailing 10-0. . Mariners catcher Adam Moore tore the medial meniscus in his right knee while playing for Triple-A Tacoma. He will have surgery Thursday.

SEATTLE — During his first season on the reclamation project of the Seattle Mariners, Eric Wedge knew he couldn’t sn with frustration or dispointment even when it probably was warranted.

Biting his lip became part of what Wedge decided he needed to in his first year with a new organization, especially with a roster that included so much youth and inexperience as Seattle’s 67-95 season played out.

Year 2, there won’t be any holding back in what Wedge expects out of his players.

“No one’s going to take away what we’ve already established here. But ultimately, it is a different message this year. It’s about expectations,” the manager said. “It’s not just about breaking kids in, although we’re probably going to do some of that this year. Not as much as last year. It’s about expectations, performance and production. Performance and production lead to wins.”

For Wedge, those increased expectations are strictly pointed at the Mariners offense. A year ago, it was among the worst in baseball history since the implementation of the designated hitter. If the Mariners are to improve, the hitters have to do better.

The pitching staff is solid, led by ace Felix Hernandez. Even with an offseason trade that sent All-Star Michael Pineda to the New York Yankees, the arms are OK. But ultimately it’s the offense where the majority of Seattle’s questions lie after the team hit just .233 and scored a mere 556 runs, by far the lowest total in the American League.

—Can Ichiro Suzuki successfully make the transition from being one of the best leadoff hitters in recent history to batting third, where his sl-hitting style of the past won’t fly?

—Will Chone Figgins finally prove worthy of the $36 million, four-year deal he signed before the 2010 season? He’ll try to restart his career with another opportunity as an everyday player, and he’ll get the initial shot at taking over the leadoff spot.

—Are Dustin Ackley and Mike Carp able to carry their impressive debuts from 2011 into their sophomore campaigns?

—And will Jesus Montero, the centerpiece of the January trade with the Yankees, handle the expectations of being the Seattle’s power-hitting offensive savior despite just a handful of major league games?