Mariners fall for third straight night to Yankees

Some Some things never change, like Alex Rodriguez getting savaged by the Safeco Field crowd.

After sitting out the first two games of this series, A-Rod came back Saturday to receive his usual dose of lusty boos.

One thing the Mariners had hoped to change was their recent spell of offensive woes, but they struggled in the clutch and fell 5-2 to the Yankees.

Mariners fans left Safeco muttering about a disputed called third strike on Ryan Langerhans on a full-count pitch with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth.

They also left wondering what went through Ichiro's mind when he tried to steal third with two outs in the seventh, two on, and Russell Branyan at the plate. Ichiro was gunned down at third to end the rally, indicative of a night in which the Mariners got 10 hits but stranded 10.

"I think you're playing a team, like any game, you want to beat," Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said. "We pushed the envelope a little too much there. With Russell at the plate, he has a chance to maybe win the game or put you ahead there. [Ichiro] was probably being a little over-aggressive."

Ichiro said he felt it was a risk worth taking.

"It is as you see it," he said. "I thought about many different things. I was aware Russell was the batter. I was also aware if Russell hit a home run in that situation, we would have taken the lead. I took all that into consideration and made my move.

"Based on the runner on first, I was hoping to create a situation where there were runners on second and third, and we could tie the game with a hit. But I also understand at the end, it was an out. I thought through the process. I understand why it was an out, and why you ask the questions, but at the same time, I didn't do it without thinking."

The Mariners have dropped the first three games of the four-game series, falling 10 ½ games behind the AL West-leading Angels. It's their largest deficit of the season. The Yankees have won 12 of 13.

This loss was punctuated by something that has rarely been seen this season: A defensive miscue by center fielder Franklin Gutierrez that led to four unearned runs in the second inning.

Those runs were the only ones given up by starter Luke French in his third, and best, start since joining the Mariners from Detroit in the Jarrod Washburn trade on July 31.

French (2-3) made it through six innings, departing with that 4-2 deficit. He gave up seven hits, walked three and struck out two.

The left-hander, however, couldn't recover from Gutierrez's error, which came on a drive to right-center by Melky Cabrera with one out and one on in the second.

Gutierrez drifted over as right fielder Ichiro raced after the ball as well. The two converged before Ichiro peeled away at the last second. A distracted Gutierrez had the ball glance off his glove for an error that allowed Robinson Cano, who had singled, to get to second.

"At first, I called for it, then I heard Guit call for it, so I got out of the way," Ichiro said.

Jose Molina singled home Cano, and Derek Jeter's sacrifice fly brought in another run. Nick Swisher then delivered the big blow, a two-run homer into the left-field corner, his 19th, that put the Yankees up 4-1.

"We've played solid defense most of the year, but the last two days, playing against a team you respect, you put pressure on yourself and make mistakes," Wakamatsu said. "Four unearned runs — it's awfully hard to come back over that error."

Said French: "That stuff happens, it's baseball. I need to do a better job picking my teammates up. That's what it's all about."

French blanked the Yankees over the next four innings, but the Mariners could not overcome the deficit, despite some golden opportunities, including a bases-loaded chance with one out in the sixth.

Dave Robertson replaced starter Sergio Mitre and struck out both Josh Wilson and Langerhans. The full-count pitch that got Langerhans appeared to be low, and he started to trot to first, but home-plate umpire C.B. Bucknor rung him up.

"I thought he threw him one strike the whole at-bat," Wakamatsu said. "I came up to Ryan and said, 'That was a tremendous at-bat.' Beyond that, it's baseball."

Shrugged Langerhans, a last-minute lineup addition when Michael Saunders was scratched because of a shoulder injury: "I don't have much comment on it. I took it. I thought it was a ball. It was just one of those tough games we definitely felt we could have won."

The Mariners squandered another chance in the seventh when they got runners on first and second with one out, and Griffey came to the plate, representing the go-ahead run.

The crowd of 44,272 roared, hoping for a magical Griffey moment, but Yankee reliever Phil Coke struck him out on a 1-2 fastball. Ichiro was then gunned down trying to steal third on a 2-0 pitch to Branyon that became ball three.

Jeter homered to right in the ninth off David Aardsma for the final Yankees' run.