By Jeff Sullivan

– Editor

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Jul 27, 2011 – “Clobber” might be a little generous. True, the Seattle Mariners beat the New York Yankees 9-2, but their third run involved an error, their next three runs scored on a catchable fly ball, and their eighth run scored when Curtis Granderson lost a fly in the sun. The Mariners didn’t exact bust out any whooping sticks.

But what they did was win, and not just win in the Bronx – they won for the first time since July 5, snping a 17-game losing streak.

It was all set up from the beginning. For their Wednesday matinée, the Mariners sent ace Felix Hernandez to the hill opposite the mysterious Phil Hughes. This was, without doubt, a good matchup. But it was still a matchup that pitted the Mariners’ lineup against the Yankees’ lineup, so neither side had a huge advantage.

After trading some zeroes, the Mariners struck in the third when Dustin Ackley scored Ichiro on a triple to the g. The Mariners added another in the fifth when Ackley laced a bases-loaded single to left. Josh Bard was thrown out on the play, but the M’s still handed a 2-0 lead to their ace.

It nearly dispeared in the bottom half, when the Yankees scored and then put a pair in scoring position with two outs for Curtis Granderson, but Felix whiffed Granderson with a heater to end the threat.

Then, after a sixth inning that saw each team strand a runner, the Mariners erupted, so to speak. A run scored on a weak Ackley grounder up the middle that neither Robinson Cano nor Derek Jeter could handle cleanly. Then, with the bases loaded, Adam Kennedy struck out, but Mike Carp lifted a deep fly ball to center that sent Granderson racing back. Granderson peared to have an angle, but the ball bounced off the end of his glove, and Carp made it to third with a three-run triple.

That busted the game open, and six pitches later Carp scored on a ringing double by Franklin Gutierrez. Some more runs were scored, and in the end, it was the Mariners who got to line up and high-five one another, having finished off a 9-2 win.

The Mariners return home to face the Rays on Friday. Now that their historic streak is over, the baseball world may resume not paying them any attention, as usual. The Yankees, meanwhile, will take on the Orioles, and will continue to receive plenty of attention, from now until forever.

Read More: Curtis Granderson (CF – NYY), Felix Hernandez (P – SEA), Phil Hughes (P – NYY), Mike Carp (1B – SEA), Dustin Ackley (2B – SEA), New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners

After a week of talking about closer Brandon League, Seattle Mariners manager Eric Wedge got back to familiar questions Wednesday – about his offense, or lack thereof.

The inquiries were timely enough, what with Felix Hernandez losing to the Minnesota Twins, 2-1, on Tuesday.

And Wedge made a lineup change. With Franklin Gutierrez available again and in center field, Wedge dropped him into the fifth spot in the batting order. It’s not the ideal spot for him, Wedge said, but he was looking for a spark.

“We need something. I’m sure as hell not going to continue watching this,” Wedge said of his offense. “We’re going to get better and we’re going to do everything we possibly can to get better.

“Certain things have to hpen. We have to be tougher. We have to be smarter. Work’s never been an issue with these guys.”

Hits and runs, those are the issues.

Aside from getting Gutierrez back from his rehab assignment with Tacoma, Wedge sat down his starting shortstop and second baseman – Brendan Ryan and Jack Wilson – in favor of Luis Rodriguez and Adam Kennedy.

It was Wedge’s 37th different lineup in the Mariners’ 42nd game. It featured six players hitting under .225.

Are there other lineups Wedge is considering?

“I’ve contemplated a lot here in the short-term, more than you want to know, trust me,” he said. “But ultimately it’s my job as manager of this team and the coaches’ jobs to help these guys get better. That’s what’s going to hpen, one way or the other.”

ADD GUTIERREZ

The Gold Glove center fielder returned to the Mariners just in time for a promotion featuring his likeness today – the Franklin Gutierrez Fly Swatter.

The first 20,000 folks through the gate at Safeco Field today get them.

POWER OUTAGE

Designated hitter Jack Cust started the game without a home run in his first 36 games, covering 125 at-bats – but he wasn’t alone.

Ichiro Suzuki had played all 41 games before Wednesday, and hadn’t homered – the longest such stretch to start any of his 11 big-league seasons. His previous longest was 39 games.

Ichiro had 172 at-bats going into the Angels series.

SHORT HOPS

In the pregame clubhouse was catcher Adam Moore, who is rehabbing from knee surgery. He has graduated to riding the stationary bike but won’t try running until sometime next week. Throwing and hitting? Weeks away. Moore won’t play again in 2011. … Add Felix: When he went eight innings and allowed two runs Tuesday, it marked the 13th time in his career he’d pitched at least eight innings, allowed two runs or fewer and not won.

ON T

Seattle plays host to Los Angeles in a 12:40 p.m. game today that will be televised on Root Sports. Probable starting pitchers: Dan Haren (4-2, 1.93 ERA) vs. Doug Fister (2-4, 3.22).

Chone Figgins was supposed to play third base against the Texas Rangers on Thursday.

But the Seattle Mariners third baseman wasn’t feeling well. So Luis Rodriguez took his spot in the lineup, headlining a trio of non-regulars in the Mariners’ lineup on Thursday.

Designated hitter Jack Cust was also given the day off, as was left fielder Milton Bradley.

“Figgins is a little under the weather,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said. “I think he’ll be available for us (later) tonight. Should be OK. Felt like we needed to get him out of there.”

Figgins was 2-for-4 and scored both of Seattle’s runs in Wednesday’s 5-2 loss to the Rangers, and he’s been swinging the bat much better recently after spending much of the first month of the season with a batting average well below .200.

He was hitting .217 entering Thursday’s game and is hitting 12-for-34 (.353) since ril 26.

“It has been better,” Wedge said. “His contact’s been better. His barrel on the ball’s been a little bit more consistent. I think he’s headed in the right direction. We’ve got a lot of baseball to play.”

Cust is still below the Mendoza Line at .198, and Bradley overcame a decent start to drop his average back to .213.

The Mendoza Line also continues to elude Ryan Langerhans (.188), Michael Saunders (.195) and Brendan Ryan (.171), all in Thursday’s lineup.

PINEDA SHOWS EMOTION

One reporter remarked Thursday that Michael Pineda’s postgame conversation with the media on Wednesday was the first time the 6-foot-7, 260-pound youngster actually looked like a 22-year-old.

That’s a good point. Pineda spoke quietly and was visibly dispointed that he didn’t win after allowing four runs on seven hits in seven innings in a 5-2 loss to the Rangers.

But that’s not such a bad thing, Wedge said.

“It’s OK for him to feel like that. It’s OK,” Wedge said. “As long as he uses those proaches to help him be that much better next time, keep moving on down the line. I can’t say enough about the way he’s handled himself.”

Pineda may have been most upset that he hasn’t figured out the Rangers yet. He’s faced them twice, both losses, pitching 13 innings while allowing seven runs on 12 hits for a 4.85 ERA.

In his other four starts, Pineda is 4-0 with a 1.42 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings.

WILHELMSEN SIGHTING

Tom Wilhelmsen hadn’t pitched since ril 23 when he came on in relief in the ninth inning of Wednesday’s game.

It went well. He walked a batter with one out, but retired the next two to get the job done.

“I’d like to throw more off-speed stuff, but when you’ve got one inning to work with, you just want to get in and get out,” said Wilhelmsen, who has a 5.19 ERA in seven pearances this year.

Still, the 27-year-old rookie bartender-turned-pitcher is enjoying his first stint with a Major League ballclub, specifically the Mariners’ most recent road trip to Detroit and Boston.

“It was awesome,” he said. “Two way different parks. I walked around both of them. Comerica’s like a circus act, bunch of animals everywhere, 80-foot bats. … Boston’s not like that at all. They’ve got a lot more flags and stuff hung up.

“It’s really cool energy in there.”

For more Seattle Mariners news, visit the front page of the Seattle Mariners blog.

SEATTLE () — Eric Wedge decided to stick with the roles that are already being established in Seattle’s bullpen.

It had worked for the previous 17 innings of relief pitching — all of which were scoreless. That plan melted down on Wednesday afternoon.

Chris Ray was at the heart of the bullpen blowup. The veteran righty was tagged for five hits and five earned runs in the eighth inning as Toronto rallied for an 8-3 win over the Mariners, denying Seattle a three-game sweep of the Blue Jays.

The biggest blow was Jose Bautista’s three-run homer when the Toronto slugger turned on a hanging slider and deposited it into the visitors’ bullpen — where Blue Jays’ reliever Jon Rauch caught it while warming up. That turned a 2-1 Seattle lead into a 4-2 deficit and the Blue Jays went on to score six runs in the inning and send 11 batters to the plate.

“I ended up hanging a 2-1 slider. It was a bad pitch,” Ray said. “I threw a good one to him 1-1 and just missed. I came back and it just hung. He’s known for his power and he got it.”

The struggles by Seattle’s bullpen ruined a strong effort from starter Jason Vargas, who bounced back well from being knocked around last Friday for seven earned runs in the Mariners’ home opener against Cleveland.

Going to Ray (1-1) so quickly was a bit of a surprise after Jamey Wright had struck out Jose Molina for the final out of the seventh inning, throwing just five pitches. But Wright was on the bench and Ray on the mound to start the eighth.

“We’ve done a good job in the bullpen. The guys have been set up and we’ve had them in roles,” Wedge said. “Jamey came in and did his job and Chris just didn’t have it today.”

Trouble began almost immediately.

The eighth started innocently enough with a broken-bat single up the middle by Yunel Escobar, but Corey Patterson followed with a bunt single. Bautista, who struck out twice earlier and fouled out down the left-field line in a key spot in the fifth, then deposited Ray’s pitch.

The Jays weren’t done as Jayson Nix doubled and later scored on Edwin Encarnacion’s two-out double. Ray was finally pulled, leaving to a smattering of boos from the tiny afternoon crowd on a chilly and damp day.

Ray, who made the club out of spring training after going to camp on a minor-league deal, has allowed 11 hits, eight earned runs and two homers in 4 2-3 innings so far this season.

Josh Lueke took over and didn’t fare much better. He walked John McDonald, then gave up a two-run double to Molina, his third hit and second double of the afternoon, and a single to Escobar before finally getting a strikeout of Patterson to end the inning.

Toronto reliever Mark Rzepczynski (1-0) got the win in relief of rookie Kyle Drabek. Rzepczynski threw two innings of hitless relief, striking out a pair. His biggest out was his first, when he got Ichiro Suzuki on strikes to end the sixth inning with runners on first and third.

Seattle was poised for the sweep with the way Vargas was pitching and after Justin Smoak led off the sixth inning with an opposite-field homer to left that snped a 1-all tie.

Batting from the left side, where Smoak entered Wednesday hitting just .188, the young first baseman took a 3-2 pitch from Drabek and drove it into the Toronto bullpen in left field. It was Smoak’s first homer of the season, and his first at Safeco Field after his trade from Texas last summer.

Vargas threw 6 2-3 innings, allowing just five hits and striking out seven. The only run he allowed came on consecutive doubles by Molina and Escobar in the third.

“I wasn’t worried about making some type of comeback. I’ve gone out there enough and proved I can pitch,” Vargas said. “I don’t think I have to worry about my previous outing.”

NOTES: For the second time in three games, the Mariners set a new record low for attendance at Safeco Field on Wednesday: 12,407. The previous low was set on Monday night at 13,056. … Toronto optioned reliever Brad Mills back to Triple-A Las Vegas after the game. A corresponding roster move is expected before Friday’s game in Boston. … Seattle CF Franklin Gutierrez is expected to go on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Tacoma this weekend. Wedge says after three games at Tacoma, Gutierrez will be re-evaluated. Seattle opens a seven-game homestand next Monday.

SEATTLE () — Eric Wedge decided to stick with the roles that are already being established in Seattle’s bullpen.

It had worked for the previous 17 innings of relief pitching — all of which were scoreless. That plan melted down on Wednesday afternoon.

Chris Ray was at the heart of the bullpen blowup. The veteran righty was tagged for five hits and five earned runs in the eighth inning as Toronto rallied for an 8-3 win over the Mariners, denying Seattle a three-game sweep of the Blue Jays.

The biggest blow was Jose Bautista’s three-run homer when the Toronto slugger turned on a hanging slider and deposited it into the visitors’ bullpen — where Blue Jays’ reliever Jon Rauch caught it while warming up. That turned a 2-1 Seattle lead into a 4-2 deficit and the Blue Jays went on to score six runs in the inning and send 11 batters to the plate.

“I ended up hanging a 2-1 slider. It was a bad pitch,” Ray said. “I threw a good one to him 1-1 and just missed. I came back and it just hung. He’s known for his power and he got it.”

The struggles by Seattle’s bullpen ruined a strong effort from starter Jason Vargas, who bounced back well from being knocked around last Friday for seven earned runs in the Mariners’ home opener against Cleveland.

Going to Ray (1-1) so quickly was a bit of a surprise after Jamey Wright had struck out Jose Molina for the final out of the seventh inning, throwing just five pitches. But Wright was on the bench and Ray on the mound to start the eighth.

“We’ve done a good job in the bullpen. The guys have been set up and we’ve had them in roles,” Wedge said. “Jamey came in and did his job and Chris just didn’t have it today.”

Trouble began almost immediately.

The eighth started innocently enough with a broken-bat single up the middle by Yunel Escobar, but Corey Patterson followed with a bunt single. Bautista, who struck out twice earlier and fouled out down the left-field line in a key spot in the fifth, then deposited Ray’s pitch.

The Jays weren’t done as Jayson Nix doubled and later scored on Edwin Encarnacion’s two-out double. Ray was finally pulled, leaving to a smattering of boos from the tiny afternoon crowd on a chilly and damp day.

Ray, who made the club out of spring training after going to camp on a minor-league deal, has allowed 11 hits, eight earned runs and two homers in 4 2-3 innings so far this season.

Josh Lueke took over and didn’t fare much better. He walked John McDonald, then gave up a two-run double to Molina, his third hit and second double of the afternoon, and a single to Escobar before finally getting a strikeout of Patterson to end the inning.

Toronto reliever Mark Rzepczynski (1-0) got the win in relief of rookie Kyle Drabek. Rzepczynski threw two innings of hitless relief, striking out a pair. His biggest out was his first, when he got Ichiro Suzuki on strikes to end the sixth inning with runners on first and third.

Seattle was poised for the sweep with the way Vargas was pitching and after Justin Smoak led off the sixth inning with an opposite-field homer to left that snped a 1-all tie.

Batting from the left side, where Smoak entered Wednesday hitting just .188, the young first baseman took a 3-2 pitch from Drabek and drove it into the Toronto bullpen in left field. It was Smoak’s first homer of the season, and his first at Safeco Field after his trade from Texas last summer.

Vargas threw 6 2-3 innings, allowing just five hits and striking out seven. The only run he allowed came on consecutive doubles by Molina and Escobar in the third.

“I wasn’t worried about making some type of comeback. I’ve gone out there enough and proved I can pitch,” Vargas said. “I don’t think I have to worry about my previous outing.”

NOTES: For the second time in three games, the Mariners set a new record low for attendance at Safeco Field on Wednesday: 12,407. The previous low was set on Monday night at 13,056. … Toronto optioned reliever Brad Mills back to Triple-A Las Vegas after the game. A corresponding roster move is expected before Friday’s game in Boston. … Seattle CF Franklin Gutierrez is expected to go on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Tacoma this weekend. Wedge says after three games at Tacoma, Gutierrez will be re-evaluated. Seattle opens a seven-game homestand next Monday.