BOSTON _ The four-run "outburst" less than 24 hours earlier seems to have been the outlier for the Mariners in this run of futility and losing.
After snapping a five-game losing streak _ in which they scored one run in each of the losses _ on Thursday, the Mariners had a worse showing in a park where runs are fruitful.
On a cold and drizzly night that was more Puget Sound than Boston's Back Bay, the Mariners were shut out for the fourth time this season in a 3-0 defeat.
Offense? Seattle went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and stranding seven base runners.
Defense? Two Mariners errors with a passed ball that scored a run and a wild pitch that should've been blocked that also scored a run.
Pitching? It's not often that it's the best aspect of a Mariners performance, but given the offense and the defense, it was not terrible despite issuing seven walks.
Starter Yovani Gallardo was solid for the first five innings, allowing just one run on six hits and using a few timely double plays to work out of jams and overcome a pair of errors in the outfield.
But Gallardo never got out of the sixth inning and the Red Sox pushed their lead from 1-0 to 3-0.
This sixth inning was just poor baseball. It started innocently with Josh Rutledge just beating out an infield single despite a stellar play from Jean Segura on a ball deep into the hole. From there, Gallardo walked Jackie Bradley Jr., got an out on a fielder's choice and then walked Deven Marrero to load the bases. Any hope of an inning-ending double play was crushed on a blockable wild pitch that Mike Zunino couldn't keep in front of him. Gallardo then walked Mookie Betts to reload the bases again.
Servais went to right-hander Dan Altavilla to clean up the mess.
His first pitch of the outing, a 95-mph fastball to Andrew Benintendi, was a borderline strike that bounced off the glove of Zunino. It rolled far enough away from Zunino that Bradley Jr. was able to sprint home to make 3-0.
The Red Sox had scored two runs and a ball hadn't left the infield. Altavilla finally ended the frame by striking out Andrew Benintendi, and after another walk in the inning, getting Hanley Ramirez to fly out.
Down 3-0, the Mariners were done.
Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez worked six shutout innings, allowing five hits with three walks and four strikeouts. The Red Sox bullpen worked the final three frames without much incident, with closer Craig Kimbrel picking up his 13th save.
