Bludgeoned for 24 runs on 30 hits, including eight home runs during a three-game series in Arizona that ended Wednesday, the Mariners are off Thursday off before a three-game series Friday night against a San Diego Padres club that swept Seattle at Safeco Field June 12-14.
The Mariners come home Monday for a 10-day, 10-game home stand against Oakland, Boston and Baltimore, followed by three at Oakland before the All-Star break.
The Padres (24-46), losers of three in a a row and 1-5 since the Seattle sweep, will start two pitchers, Clayton Richard and Jason Marquis, who beat the Mariners the last time. The Mariners will get their first look at RHP Ross Ohlendorf. A look at this weekend’s pitching matchups:
FRIDAY: RHP Kevin Millwood (3-5, 3.69) vs. RHP Ross Ohlendorf (1-0, 4.50)
Millwood: 0-1, 4.20 ERA with 14 strikeouts in his past three starts. In Millwood’s last start, against San Francisco, he took a no-decision in a 7-4 Seattle win and pitched effectively for five innings, allowing three earned runs. The Mariners have won five of Millwood’s last seven starts . . . Ohlendorf: 1-0, 4.50 with eight strikeouts in his past three starts. Ohlendorf did not allow a hit until the fifth inning against the Athletics in his first start for the Padres Saturday, then surrendered three runs on five hits 4.2 innings. He threw 85 pitches.
SATURDAY: RHP Felix Hernandez (4-5, 3.52) vs. Clayton Richard (4-7, 3.94)
Hernandez: 0-1, 5.00 ERA with 16 strikeouts in his past three starts. Hernandez tweaked his mechanics after a string of rough starts and the changes paid off. He allowed just one run in seven innings while striking out seven his last time out, against San Francisco . . . Richard: 2-1, 2.21 with 10 strikeouts in his past three starts. He tossed 7.2 shutout innings in his last start, against the A’s, his second road victory in a week after not having won away from Petco Park since July, 2011. Richard had 13 ground-ball outs, buried his slider and showed better velocity. Richard defeated the Mariners 5-4 June 12.
SUNDAY: RHP Hector Noesi (2-8, 5.69) vs. RHP Jason Marquis (3-6, 6.08)
Noesi: 0-2, 5.54 with 11 strikeouts in his past three starts. Noesi has really struggled over the past month, failing to win a game since May 6. In his last start, at Arizona, the Diamondbacks slammed him for five earned runs in 6.0 innings . . . Marquis: 1-2, 1.86 with 20 strikeouts in his past three starts. Marquis did something in his last start few pitchers have done this season — shackle the Rangers’ offense. Marquis struck out 10 in seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He allowed four earned runs in 19.1 innings with the Padres. Marquis defeated the Mariners 1-0 June 13.
NOTES: Mariners’ 14-10 loss at Arizona Wednesday dropped the club 13.5 games behind the Rangers in the AL West, Seattle’s largest deficit of the season . . . Casper Wells is 11-for-21 since his promotion from Tacoma . . . Kyle Seager had seven hits in the Arizona series with two homers and six RBIs . . . No. 2 starter Jason Vargas (7-7) has allowed 10 home runs in his past four starts, surrendered at least one homer in eight straight, and has been dinged for 20 homers, making him the American League gopher ball leader. Five home runs allowed by Vargas Wednesday matched the single-game record by one Seattle pitcher. Mark Langston gave up five to the White Sox April 19, 1988, and Jamie Moyer five to Boston July 21, 2006. Vargas has allowed at least four earned runs in four consecutive starts . . . Lucas Lutege, who entered the Arizona series with 16.2 innings of scoreless relief, had a run scored on him Tuesday and Wednesday . . . The Mariners have thrown a combined no-hitter (June 16) and been victimized by a perfect game (April 21), a cycle (June 20) and an inside-the park home run (June 20) . . . Chone Figgins, batting .198, went 2-for-2 after being inserted as a pinch hitter Wednesday . . . Franklin Gutierrez’s three-run pinch homer Wednesday was his first long ball since May 25, 2011, at Minnesota . . . Ichiro is a career .337 hitter against the Padres and a .326 hitter in PetCo Park . . . Mariners promoted highly touted LHP Danny Hultzen and INF Nick Franklin from AA Jackson to AAA Tacoma Wednesday Hultzen, 22, was 8-3 with a 1.19 ERA (10 ER, 75.1 IP) in 13 starts with Jackson. Franklin, 21, hit .322 (66×205) with 25 runs scored, 17 doubles, four triples, four home runs and 26 RBI in 57 games with Jackson.
