Two Hits, Zero Runs, and a Road Trip Seattle Won't Soon Forget

The Mariners are in trouble. Not the "it's April, we'll figure it out" kind of trouble. The real kind. After getting shut out 3-0 by the Rangers on Wednesday, Seattle's record dropped to 4-9 through the first 13 games of a season that was supposed to be different. This wasn't just a loss. This was the final punch in a dreadful road trip that saw the Mariners drop five of their last six games and lose seven of their last eight overall.

Three runs scored in three games at Globe Life Field. Two hits total against Texas. Swept. This is the kind of baseball Seattle fans spent years watching, and it's back.

The Pitching Kept Them in It. Everything Else Let Them Down.

Bryan Woo was solid for five innings, matching MacKenzie Gore pitch for pitch through the first four frames. Neither team threatened early. Then the fifth inning happened, and it all fell apart. Woo gave up three runs in that frame alone, needing a brutal 41 pitches just to escape with three outs. Manager Dan Wilson didn't sugarcoat it after the game: "Offensively, again, just not much going on. We were able to get a little bit of traffic, but we weren't able to move it along. Just not enough consistency on the offensive side."

The pitching staff has actually held up well since opening day, staying outstanding to solid. But offense, defense, and baserunning have been absent. The Mariners are striking out too much, leaving runners stranded when they do get on base, and making plays they should be making.

Donovan's Struggles Are Hard to Ignore

In the fifth, with one out, Danny Jansen hit a ground ball to third baseman Brendan Donovan. Donovan fielded it deep in the infield dirt but his back leg buckled awkwardly as he planted to throw. He fell backward with nothing on the ball, allowing Jansen to reach first on what should've been an out. It wasn't scored an error, but everyone in the ballpark knew better.

Donovan has been under the weather and it's showing. He's charged with four errors this season and has looked shaky on multiple plays. After the game, he was honest about the gap between where he is and where he needs to be. "It's not something you can run from. You've just got to keep preparing and understand I'm not playing to the standard that I set for myself, defensively and what I have done the last few years. That's frustrating."

The Mariners knew Donovan played second and left field for the Cardinals, but they believed he could handle third. He's working with Perry Hill and will continue preparing, but right now, the defense is costing them games.

One Day Off, Then Back Home to Fight

There's no game Thursday, and the Mariners desperately need to clear their heads. A four-game series against the Astros starts Friday night at T-Mobile Park, and Wilson knows the vibe has to shift. "Tomorrow is a chance for us to clear our mind a little bit and then get back after it at home on Friday. We're looking forward to getting back home in front of the home folks at T-Mobile."

Starter Bryan Woo summed it up perfectly: "It's frustrating. Losing games is never fun, especially when they're in bunches. But you got to find a way out of it. There's no pointing fingers. As a group, we've got to come together and figure it out. Luckily, it's April and not September, but we still need to have some urgency."

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.