Erik Bedard surgery overshadows M's sixth loss in row

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Mariners delivered some bad news a couple innings into a scoreless game Tuesday night, and it had nothing to do with action taking place at Kauffman Stadium.

In fact, rookie right-hander Brandon Morrow had allowed just one hit to that point before a four-run fifth inning did him in and led to a 6-3 loss to the Royals, the Mariners' sixth straight defeat.

But what Morrow was doing on the mound was secondary to the announcement that left-handed starter Erik Bedard will undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder Sept. 26. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum.

"Erik has worked diligently with our medical staff for the past two months attempting to rehabilitate his shoulder without surgery," said Lee Pelekoudas, vice president and general manager of baseball operations. "We have determined that surgery is the best course of action at this time."

A timetable on Bedard's recovery will be announced after surgery.

The Mariners acquired Bedard last February in a trade with Baltimore. He won 28 games in his last two seasons with the Orioles, but was just 6-4 with 3.67 ERA in 15 starts when he went on the disabled list July 10 for tightness in his left shoulder.

"Erik explored all the opportunities to throw and kept throwing, but just wasn't making any progress," Mariners manager Jim Riggleman said. "He wasn't feeling good enough to really get on the mound and pitch.

"So this was the last option and we are going to take this option and see if we can get him ready for next year. When you've got something in your arm that's barking in there and impeding you from firing the way you'd like to and it's not getting better, you just got to do what he's going to do, which is to get it fixed."

Bedard is signed through next season.

When the season began, starting pitching appeared to be strong for Seattle with Felix Hernandez, Bedard and Carlos Silva at the top of the rotation. Morrow, who figures into the team's 2009 plans, had his first rough outing in three starts.

"He had a couple of good innings there," Riggleman said, "but he really couldn't command his breaking ball at all."

The Royals led 2-1 entering the fifth and then unloaded on him.

David DeJesus began the fifth with a home run. Alberto Callaspo followed with a triple. Mike Aviles got an RBI single, and Ryan Shealy followed with a two-run homer. Morrow's evening was over with Seattle trailing 6-1.

Morrow figures he's going to have some ups and downs as he makes the transition from reliever to starter.

He was fantastic in his first start on Sept. 5 when he allowed just one run and one hit in 7-2/3 innings against the Yankees.

"When my mechanics are good and consistent I'm definitely a lot better, and tonight wasn't one of those nights," Morrow said.

Said Riggleman: "Overall, it was a step backwards. He's been taking a couple of steps forward and one back. I think we knew that was going to happen. We just have to bear with it. Realistically, to make the transition he's making there are going to be some bumps in the road."

Notes

• In the last two weeks of the season, Riggleman plans to play rookie catcher Rob Johnson from time to time, but he's not quite sure if it will be 50-50 with Kenji Johjima.

"He has done a good job," Riggleman said. "I want to say he's caught three games. One game he was outstanding with Felix [Hernandez]. He was rated the best defensive catcher in the Pacific Coast League."

• Seattle has lost the first six games on this 11-game trip, the last two in Kansas City.

"The Angels series was discouraging because we were 0-4 there, but encouraging the way we played the games. We were very good defensively. Our young pitchers pitched well."

The losses to the Royals might be harder to swallow.

"It wasn't a whole lot to be excited about [Monday night]," Riggleman said. "[Kyle] Davies really kind of made us look flat, shutting us down. When you don't get a lot of hits you look flat."

• Seattle second baseman Luis Valbuena hit his first career double in the top of the third.

For the record

Streak: L6

Home: 31-43

Road: 26-50

vs. AL West: 18-29

vs. L.A.: 4-11

vs. Oakland: 6-7

vs. Texas: 8-11

vs. AL East: 15-29

vs. AL Cent.: 15-26

vs. NL: 9-9

vs. LHP: 19-29

vs. RHP: 38-64

Day: 18-31

Night: 39-62

One-run: 17-27

Extra inn.: 5-7