ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Rookie Brandon Maurer is going through some growing pains, and the Seattle Mariners are feeling ill, too.

Maurer lasted just three innings while making his first major league start near his hometown, and the Mariners fell 7-1 to the Los Angeles Angels for their season-worst sixth consecutive loss.

"Brandon's learning so much and he's going through what every young pitcher has to go through," manager Eric Wedge said. "He's going to be a heck of a big league pitcher once he figures all this out. Once he learns from it, he'll be better _ physically, fundamentally, mentally and emotionally _ and all those things will settle in for him. A young starting pitcher has to go through a lot of that, and he's right in the middle of it."

Maurer (2-6), who was born in Newport Beach and played his high school ball a few miles away from Angel Stadium, pitched 6 1-3 innings in a 6-0 win against Los Angeles on April 25 at Seattle. But this one was much different.

Less than 24 hours after the Angels cruised to a 12-0 victory for their most lopsided shutout win ever against Seattle, Maurer retired only three of his first 15 batters and trailed 6-0 after 47 pitches.

Los Angeles scored five in the first on Josh Hamilton's two-run single, Alberto Callaspo's two-run double and an RBI single by Hank Conger. It could have been worse for Maurer, but Erick Aybar was thrown out trying to steal second after drawing a leadoff walk.

Mike Trout, coming off his first career cycle, tripled in the second for his sixth consecutive hit and scored on a single by Albert Pujols. Aybar made it 7-0 with an RBI single in the third.

That was the last inning for Maurer, who was charged with seven runs and 11 hits. The 22-year-old right-hander is 0-3 with an 8.50 ERA in his last four starts.

"I didn't get the sense that he was over-amped," Wedge said. "I know he gets frustrated from time and he's hard on himself. Those are just young emotional things that you have to go through, but he's got to get a better feel for how to point that in the right direction. I love the way he competes. His stuff is real good big league stuff, across the board."

The Mariners' 2-7 road trip, which included a four-game sweep by Wedge's former Cleveland club, left them seven games under .500. After the game, some of the veterans initiated a closed-door clubhouse meeting.

"We just felt that it was a good time for it. It was a necessary thing to do," said outfielder Raul Ibanez, who is in his third stint with the Mariners. "It's important to remember all the good stuff that's happened with us. I think we've got a good group of guys, guys that are going to fight and guys that are going to scratch and claw. So we're going to be all right."

The Mariners scored their first run against C.J. Wilson (4-3) when Brendan Ryan came home on a groundout by Michael Saunders in the eighth. That's all that prevented them from getting shut out for the third time in four games.

"There's no panic. I mean, panic's not in my vocabulary, and it better not be in theirs," Wedge said. "The coolest cat wins. We're two series removed from winning five out of six series _ and even then we didn't feel like we were the ballclub we feel like could still be. So it's all right there for us. We just have to go out and take it."

Wilson struck out 10 in eight innings, allowing six hits in his longest outing since June 8, 2012 _ when he also went eight innings in a 7-2 interleague victory at Colorado. The left-hander won for the first time since May 1 at Oakland after losing his previous three starts, including back-to-back 3-0 decisions against Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox.

"Offensively, we never really got anything going here," Wedge said. "These guys worked real hard to get back to .500, and got within a game. Then we ran into a buzzsaw in Cleveland and had a couple of tough days here. But we're still a good ballclub and we're going to continue to get better. We have not even come close to hitting our stride yet."

NOTES: Mariners 1B-DH Kendrys Morales, whom the Angels traded away last December for LHP Jason Vargas, got his 500th career hit in the first inning on a single through the box and finished the day 3 for 4 with a double. ... Trout, last season's AL Rookie of the Year and AL MVP runner-up, is batting .359 with seven homers and 22 RBIs in his last 21 games since going 1 for 8 in a 19-inning loss at Oakland on April 29. He has seven hits in his last 16 at-bats, but has struck out looking seven times during that stretch.


(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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Comments (15)


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  • Teahawk wrote...
    My favorite is that commercial about how this is the year...
    April 11, 2013 6:01 am
    It's still early, but it doesn't look good.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rajuseattle wrote...
    Drafted players turn out to be BIG busts.
    April 11, 2013 8:04 am
    MArienrs talent acqusition/scoutign is BOGUS, they traded good talent in some of the wierd trades in baseball and whosoever they acquired in big trades like Smoke, Jesus Motero turn out to be big busts. Same is true in terms of the # 1 drafted players like Ackley and Kyle Seagur. MAriners will be losing more than 100 games once again. Except King Felix noone is givign 100%. Very poor talent on this roster and u will see the stadiums going empty each night except when king felix pitching nights. I am glad i switched off my COmcast cable services. Good bye Baseball from Seattle.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • biggdaddy55 wrote...
    Big Busts?
    April 11, 2013 11:24 am
    I'm guessing that your English class was a big bust as well. Spell check anyone?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • The Live Chicken wrote...
    Rajuseattle
    April 11, 2013 1:02 pm
    Thank you for your completely unoriginal, ill-conceived post with absolutely no rational thought behind it. First, there is absolutely nothing about Jesus Montero that suggests he is, or will be, a bust. He held his own at the plate last season, and there have always been questions about his defensive abilities behind the plate. Second, Smoak was acquired as part of a necessary trade to get SOMETHING for Cliff Lee, else we would have gotten nothing for him, and the market to trade him was extremely small. Third, Kyle Seager was drafted in the third round of the 2009 draft, that is not the #1 pick. Fourth, Michael Saunders has been aggressive on the basebaths, hitting to all sides of the field, and injured his shoulder making a catch in which he crashed into the outfield wall, so how is he not giving 100%? Same can be said for the efforts of Morse, Morales, Ryan, Shoppach, Iwakuma, etc. Fifth, you obviously have not been watching any of the games, else you would know that the attendance of games when Felix pitches are really no different than any other game, save for the Kings Court, and when the fan has incentive to get a free shirt (ie, Last years "Supreme Court", and todays start vs the Ranger where fans once again get a free shirt). SO that tells you all you need to know about some of the fans, who say they are unwilling to pay money to see this team play, UNLESS they get a free shirt!

    In conclusion, not one of your points was even remotely well thought out.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • darrengrama wrote...
    what a bad post
    May 16, 2013 10:23 pm
    I'm not saying the Mariners are good but none of what you said is accurate. Its obvious you stopped paying your cable bill cause you haven't seen any of the games. They are competitive as ever. Smoak trade isn't working out but its better than getting nothing for Cliff Lee. Morales has been a good trade. Ibanez is stepping up in spots. Ackley is hitting WAAAAAYYYY better as of late. Seager is good, idk what you can mean by calling him a bust. Saunders is a true leadoff hitter. Idk man, I guess if I didn't know anything then I wouldn't make such strong statements. And don't end it with "oh by the way, I haven't watched any games this year." lol
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mynorthwester wrote...
    people like you should not be allowed to follow baseball
    May 20, 2013 9:27 am
    Were glad you turned off your cable service too please continue to not follow this team while the rest of us watch something develop here.yea its frustrating but things are starting to turn around and minus game 3 of this series we were in a great position to win the rest of these games and loosing tight games like that were we put up a real fight with young talent is a syrup forward in my book
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Jarrett Campbell (JC) wrote...
    Congrats on 1500 Strikeouts
    April 11, 2013 11:08 pm
    Although things are not starting out well for the Mariners, I am happy to see King Felix get his 1500th strikeout. It is a great milestone for a great player and person. Considering he didn't have his best stuff tonight, he kept us in the game. Better defense and hitting with runners in scoring position would have made a difference in the loss to the division-rival Rangers team. It is disappointing that Morse will be out for a few games to nurse the small fracture on his pinky finger, which is a big blow to the M's, who already lost Saunders on the 15 day disabled list. When it rains, it pours, and we sure get our share in Seattle, both literally and figuratively. Break out the umbrellas, it could be another long season, only time will tell. Who knows, maybe this team will break out of its funk and get some things going, I sure hope so.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • RWIII wrote...
    Pinch runner
    April 18, 2013 9:23 am
    I remember when Smoak got the base. I was thinking why doesn't Wedge bring in a pinch runner? Looks to me like they could have someone on the bench faster than Smoak.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • jsean wrote...
    same-old-same-old...
    April 20, 2013 11:24 pm
    even the head-line is "recycled"(oct. 2, '12) Gees...there is alot to suggest that montero is a bust...first of all wedge has sat him down, secondly he can't run, third and this one is very important, in a game of speed montero can't run!! Cliff asked for an extension before the season started and Jack said no, so the trade was not "necessary" but pre-concieved...i like that seager has 9 doubles already. when saunders gets back maybe put kyle in the 5 hole to help protect morse...when you have 4 or sometimes 5 infielders who are hitting below .220 it really makes the season feel like it is over....i don't mind the rain but this is just aweful...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Dan1 wrote...
    HEY MYNW FIRE YOUR IT STAFF
    April 21, 2013 8:07 pm
    Same garbage as last year! Hey M'S, do us proud. Finish the road trip right, get swept right out of Texas. M'S will be in the cellar when they leave Houston.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • igotanopinion wrote...
    Athletics can't capitalize?
    April 27, 2013 12:48 am
    What the he11 are you smoking when writing this garbage? Who is editing this? I had to read it 5 times to make are that I wasn't wrong. Bush league. Just terrible. Anyways.... Team is close to turning the corner. They have looked different the last two nights. Hopefully wedge can keep the foot wedged in their a55es and keep them moving in the right direction. Next 2 weeks will determine the season.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ed Altizer wrote...
    Well said Igo......
    April 27, 2013 8:53 am
    It's embarrassing that a major city newspaper doesn't have anyone to proof read their articles before printing. Or, if they day, this person is overpaid. Now....1 for 12 with men in scoring position. Totally unexceptable.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Toby in Tacoma wrote...
    Comments
    May 4, 2013 2:25 pm
    Hey Root sports or whoever is in charge of the Comments section. Why are we reading comments from April??
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Old Centurian wrote...
    @Toby in Tacoma
    May 4, 2013 10:31 pm
    Good point about the old comments, although in light of the Mariners' recent hot streak, the doomsayers are starting to look a little bit foolish. Made for amusing reading!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Pilate wrote...
    Strong Work, MyNW
    May 19, 2013 7:55 am
    Thirteen comments, all from last month. This has been going on for YEARS. Are you ever going to fix it?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }






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