Seattle pitching can't hold Dodgers in finale

SEATTLE -- Marco Gonzales was originally announced as Sunday's starting pitcher, but the Mariners opted to push his start back three games to curb the lefty's workload.
While Gonzales rested, the Los Angeles offense went to work early and often against spot starter Roenis Elías and the bullpen corps that followed him to beat Seattle, 12-1, and clinch the three-game set at Safeco Field.
Elias allowed all nine Dodgers batters to make their way to first base during a five-run opening frame: five by single, two by walk and two by fielder's choice. He said he felt fine in his return from the disabled list from a triceps strain, but just had a bad outing.
"Elias usually goes out there are really competes and just lets it fly and takes his chances, and you didn't really see that today in the first inning," said manger Scott Servais. "He didn't have it today and when you get behind early like that to a really good club over there it can get ugly."
Elias lasted three innings before giving way to Chasen Bradford, who allowed a single run in each of his three innings of work. Mariners No. 8 prospectMatt Festa also allowed a lone run in the seventh inning.
For the second time this series, the Mariners went with utilityman Andrew Romine in the ninth inning. He allowed a three-run homer to Justin Turner to raise his ERA to 15.00. Servais pointed to the fact that Wade LeBlanc went just 4 1/3 innings on Friday and he only got five innings out of Erasmo Ramírez on Saturday.

"Our bullpen has taken its toll," Servais said. "Unfortunately, it's where we're at. When the game gets out of hand like that and you have got to run a position player in there -- nobody wants to do it -- but [I'm] just trying to manage things going forward."
Down from the start, the Mariners' offense didn't have a very productive day against Clayton Kershaw. The Dodgers' ace threw seven innings on just 88 pitches, including 71 strikes, fanning seven and allowing one run. Ryon Healy picked up a two-out, ground-ball single to center following a Kyle Seager double in the fourth inning to plate the Mariners' only run of the game.

"[Kershaw]'s a competitor," said Mariners left fielder Cameron Maybin. "Any time he gets five runs, it's gonna be a tough day. It's one of those days where you gotta try to grind out at-bats and do what you can, but he's one of the best for the reason, especially when he gets a lead."
With Houston's victory over Oakland, Seattle did not lose any ground in the hunt for the second American League Wild Card spot and remains 3 1/2 games back of the Athletics.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Backup catcher Chris Herrmann exited in the third inning with a right knee contusion after being struck by a Yasiel Puig foul ball. Mike Zunino replaced Herrmann for the remainder of the game. More >>
SOUND SMART
Sunday's loss was the Mariners' most lopsided of the season, beating out a 10-0 loss at Kansas City in April. It was a bad weekend for the Mariners' run differential, which now sits at a season-worst -42.
YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Right fielder Mitch Haniger made a running, reaching catch a step short of the warning track in the fourth inning with two outs and the bases loaded to rob Chris Taylor of at least two RBIs. Taylor's liner had a hit probability of 62 percent per Statcast™.

HE SAID IT
"We got beat up physically, mentally, every way you want to put it. It was not a good Sunday at the ballpark." -- Servais
UP NEXT
The Mariners will send Félix Hernández (8-11, 5.62 ERA) to the mound versus the Astros' Gerrit Cole (11-5, 2.71) in Monday's 7:10 p.m. PT series opener at Safeco. Hernandez came on in relief after James Paxton took a line drive off of his forearm on Tuesday and pitched well enough to slide into Paxton's spot in the rotation, firing 5 2/3 innings and allowing two runs in a loss to Oakland. Cole snapped a three-game losing streak last time out with a victory over the Rockies.