M's Notebook | Ramirez, Lowe toss in pen

Mariners starter Horacio Ramirez, still nursing a bothersome throwing shoulder, and reliever Mark Lowe, coming off major elbow surgery, threw lengthy bullpen sessions Tuesday before the game against Pittsburgh.

They were the first players out of the clubhouse for warmups, almost four hours before the game. They jogged to right field, where they played catch together before heading to the bullpen.

Ramirez said he felt good after throwing 60 pitches. He threw a 45-pitch bullpen session Sunday in Houston.

"But I've got to find out how it feels [today]," Ramirez said. "It's wait and see."

Lowe, a dominant late-inning arm at times last year, hasn't pitched since August. He will throw a bullpen session today, take a couple of days off, then simulate a game sometime during this homestand.

Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said if things go well, he'll be sent out on a rehabilitation assignment. "How long that lasts depends on how well he does health-wise and command-wise," Hargrove said.

Hargrove said Ramirez is still "a number of days away" from returning.

Back in the day

After taking batting practice, Ichiro talked at length with Pirates pitching coach Jim Colborn, the former director of Pacific Rim scouting for the Mariners from 1997 to 2000.

Colborn, who speaks fluent Japanese, was also the pitching coach for the Orix Blue Wave from 1990 to 1993, crossing paths with Ichiro for two seasons. Ichiro's rookie year with Orix was 1992.

Colborn, who pitched for Seattle in 1979, is credited with helping sign Ichiro and former Mariners closer Kazuhiro Sasaki, the 2000 American League Rookie of the Year.

Beltre back

Third baseman Adrian Beltre, who last played June 12, was back in the lineup Tuesday, with his sore left thumb wrapped heavily. Beltre, who had a cortisone shot in his thumb Friday, took extra fielding practice.

Hargrove said trainers experimented with all sorts of pads on Beltre's thumb and on his bat, to make him comfortable. But none worked. There was concern on the road trip that Beltre might have to go on the disabled list.

"I've got to trust him to be honest with me and let me know," Hargrove said. "If he feels like he can go, and it's not going to get worse and he can perform and produce, then he'll play. If not, we'll make a change."

Bay's local ties

Pittsburgh outfielder Jason Bay, a two-time All-Star and 2004 National League Rookie of the Year, is originally from Trail, B.C., about 2 ½ hours north of Seattle. Bay played at Gonzaga and lives in the offseason in Kirkland with his wife.

"Being in the big leagues, sometimes you take it for granted, and sometimes you lose sight of that," said Bay, who hit fifth as designated hitter. "But you come to a place like this, where there's a ton of family and friends. It grabs you and brings you down to the real reason why you play and why you love it."

Another Pirate expecting busloads of fans was right fielder Ryan Doumit, a 1999 graduate of Moses Lake High School and second cousin of Mariners utility man Willie Bloomquist.

"It's awesome," Doumit said. "This is the first time I've actually been to Safeco. I've been to many games in the Kingdome. To be here and in front of the team that I grew up loving is pretty cool."

Notes

• Ian Snell was supposed to start Tuesday for Pittsburgh, but burned his hand on the oven while cooking chicken. Closer Matt Capps will also miss the series after being suspended for three games for hitting Milwaukee's Prince Fielder May 5.

• Darren Brown, Class AAA Tacoma manager, is up with the parent club for four games, watching how the big-league team operates. After that, it'll be Eddie Rodriguez's turn. He manages Class AA West Tenn. Usually, the minor-league managers are called up to Seattle in September, after their seasons end. The organization thought it would be more valuable this year to bring them up during the season.

For the record

Streak: L6

Home: 17-14

Road: 18-18

vs. AL West: 12-10

vs. L.A.: 2-7

vs. Oakland: 4-1

vs. Texas: 6-2

vs. AL East: 9-7

vs. AL Central: 9-7

vs. NL: 5-8

vs. LHP: 13-6

vs. RHP: 22-26

Day: 10-11

Night: 25-21

One-run: 10-9

Extra innings: 2-0

Home attendance

Tuesday's crowd: 24,520

Season total: 901,977

Biggest crowd: 46,181 (May 13)

Smallest crowd: 16,555 (May 2)

Average (31 dates): 29,096

2006 average (31 dates): 26,418