M's Notebook | Platoon at 1st sticks, for now

The Mariners continued with their first-base platoon on Sunday, with manager John McLaren indicating that a benched Richie Sexson might be better off playing on the road.

An at-times emotional McLaren discussed the talks he has had with Sexson, who went 2 for 25 (.080) on the homestand and was booed mercilessly on Friday night. Sexson struck out in his final three at-bats, and things got so bad that the Safeco Field fans actually cheered when he fouled a pitch off.

"When people let you know they're not happy — when they cheer when you hit a foul ball — it's a humbling experience," McLaren said. "He's a human being with feelings. It's something he's probably never been through. I know he hasn't to this degree. He told me, 'I've dug myself a hole and I've got to get out of there.' "

Ben Broussard got the start at first base on Sunday, scoring Seattle's first run after his single in the sixth. Broussard has played first base three of the past four games, going 4 for 10.

McLaren continued to stress that he doesn't see Sexson, or the struggling Raul Ibanez, as platoon players. But he added that he has to measure that against the need to put out a lineup every day that can win.

It was somewhat telling in Sunday's game that McLaren, wanting to pinch-hit for Broussard in the seventh, opted to use Jose Lopez off the bench instead of Sexson. But McLaren did say beforehand that, where a couple of his struggling players are concerned, "it might be good to get on the road."

"I like Richie a lot," McLaren said. "He's working hard. We're giving Ben more playing time and I've assured Richie that when he gets going, he'll be back in there again full-time. There are not many guys, but he's one of the guys that when he gets going, he can carry us."

Center of attention

Adam Jones got his first start in center field on Sunday, costing his team an unearned run in the first inning when he dropped a fly ball at the warning track. He played the remainder of the day without incident in the field and went hitless in four at-bats — striking out twice, popping out and flying out.

Jones can play all three outfield positions, though he says he prefers playing center.

The most difficult thing he's had to adjust to is the "slice" on balls hit to the left- and right-field corners. It's been a tougher adjustment in left field, a position Jones had never played before his Friday night debut.

Wouldn't you know that the very first ball hit his way was a slicing line drive by Red Sox slugger David Ortiz.

"It just had a slice on it," said Jones, who made the play look routine. "It was also hit very hard. I don't see those kinds of balls very often, so it was a little more difficult than it looked."

Jones continues to work out in all three positions, catching fly balls at varying angles to familiarize himself with the way they'll come at him in games.

"All I can do is keep working hard at it," he said. "I'll do my best to get better."

Shutting him down

Ichiro finished just 1 for 14 in the series, going hitless in his final dozen at-bats. He went 0 for 5 on Sunday, scoring the game's final run on a Jose Vidro single.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona was thrilled at how his pitchers worked to Ichiro throughout the series.

"We value so much keeping him off base," he said. "That doesn't mean you can do it. But our guys made good pitches. I think the success you have against them has a direct correlation of getting him out, keeping him off base, because he can do so many things."

Notes

• Mariners reliever Jon Huber is to start for Class AAA Tacoma today in his first of three rehabilitation outings. Huber is scheduled to throw 25 pitches.

• Guillen had three singles after entering Sunday in an 0-for-9 slump that included six strikeouts.

• McLaren is now 15-16 since taking over for Mike Hargrove as manager on July 2.

For the record

Streak: L2

Home: 37-22

Road: 23-27

vs. AL West: 20-17

vs. L.A.: 4-8

vs. Oakland: 10-3

vs. Texas: 6-6

vs. AL East: 19-12

vs. AL Cent.: 12-11

vs. NL: 9-9

vs. LHP: 22-8

vs. RHP: 38-41

Day: 17-15

Night: 43-34

One-run: 18-17

Extra innings: 4-1

Home attendance

Sunday's crowd: 46,377

Season total: 1,924,942

Biggest crowd: 46,377 (Aug. 5)

Smallest crowd: 16,555 (May 2)

Average (59 dates): 32,626

2006 average (59 dates): 30,072