It's that the offense is too often a no-show when Washburn pitches. The Mariners got just one run in Washburn's start Thursday against Kansas City, and that didn't come until the ninth inning, when he was already out of the game.

Since the start of the 2005 season -- his last year in Anaheim -- Washburn has the worst run support for any AL starter, an average of just 4.25 runs per start.

He's made 123 starts since 2005, and he's seen his team score two runs or fewer in 61 of those -- almost half.

That pace has kept up this year for Washburn (3-2). He's made six starts, including Thursday's, and he has seen the Mariners score two runs or fewer three times.

ROYALS 3, MARINERS 1: Seattle's offense continued to lag, and the Mariners paid the price in a second consecutive loss in Kansas City, stretching their losing streak to four games overall.

The Mariners got just two runs in 18 innings in Kauffman Stadium, and in the process, they fell out of first place in the American League West.

LHP Jarrod Washburn allowed just two runs (one earned) in seven innings and lowered his ERA to 2.68, but that wasn't enough to keep him from losing for a second consecutive start.

The Mariners left two men on in the first and sixth innings and then, with two outs and no one on in the ninth, scored a run on PH Mike Sweeney's RBI single. The Mariners went on to load the bases for RF Ichiro Suzuki, who already had three hits. He grounded out to end the game.