The Mariners starting pitching in May has been abysmal, and it continued that way Wednesday night. Left-hander Jarrod Washburn was knocked out in the third inning, having allowed nine runs in a 9-4 loss to Detroit.
The Mariners starters, who were 10-10 with a 3.65 ERA in April, are 3-12 with a 7.27 ERA in May. None of the starters has a winning record this month, and two of them, right-handers Carlos Silva and Felix Hernandez, are 0-3.
"I can't explain this," pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre said. "We just don't seem to be able to get going. We'll have one or two starts where I'll think we're ready to take off, and then we'll have three, four, five in a row where we struggle."
The Mariners haven't had back-to-back wins from a starter since April 16-17.
TIGERS 9, MARINERS 4: Jarrod Washburn was knocked out of a start in the third inning for the first time this year. The Tigers jumped him for seven runs on eight hits in that inning, giving them 12 hits and nine runs against the lefty in 2 1/3 innings.
It was the second consecutive day the Tigers manhandled a Seattle starter. Tuesday saw Detroit batter Carlos Silva for seven runs in four innings.
Seattle never led in the game but loaded the bases a couple of times in the fifth inning and emerged with two runs in what had a chance to be a big inning. The other two runs came on solo homers by Yuniesky Betancourt and Richie Sexson.
