NEW YORK — When the Mariners opened the four-game series in the Bronx on Monday evening, the premise of a split with the Yankees would've seemed like an acceptable consolation to their standing goal of winning each series. After all, the Yankees were returning home after winning seven straight games and doing so in dominant fashion. When Mariners somehow managed to win the first two games at Yankee Stadium, getting just one more win over the next two games would've helped offset a disappointing series in Baltimore.
Instead, the Mariners looked overwhelmed, dropping the final two games of the series, including a 5-0 shutout in Thursday's finale. Mariners hitters mustered three hits — a single in the fifth inning and two singles in the ninth inning — while striking out 12 times and going 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position. It was the second time they were held scoreless in a game this season.
The Yankees got a strong start from Luis Gil. The rookie right-hander worked 6 1/3 innings without allowing a run and yielding just one hit — an infield single to J.P.
Crawford — with two walks and eight strikeouts to improve 6-1 and lower his ERA to 2.11. Gil, who turns 26 on June 3, used his upper 90s fastball and low 90s changeup that features movement similar to Felix Hernandez’s changeup to leave Mariners completely out of sorts.
Luis Castillo worked through five laborious innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Both runs came .