The Padres hitting was dominated by the Mariners pitching during the weekend series, as it had been throughout the interleague series between the “natural rivals”.

They faced only five pitcher s in the entire series, which collectively allowed 16 hits and walked only four Padres. One walk was given up by Doug Fister on only three balls. In a losing effort he pitched nine innings, allowing only seven hits.

The Padres now will head to San Francisco with their season hanging in the balance. They will play the hated Giants for four games trailing them by 10 in the standings.

With Heath Bell being named to the All-Star team it looks as though the Padres will not make any moves involving their star closer before the midsummer classic on July 12th.

A series win by the Padres might persuade management to keep this club together for a final push for a division crown. But a split or loss will most likely make San Diego sellers before the upcoming trade deadline on July 31st. Below is a game by game recap of how San Diego failed to take advantage of the holiday weekend series in Seattle.

July 1st, 2011 Mariners 6, Padres 0

WP Jason Vargas (6-5) 9IP 6H 0R 0ER 0BB 7K 0HR

LP Dustin Moseley (2-8) 4.2IP 7H 5R 2ER 4BB 2K 0HR

Riding a season high four-game winning streak, the Padres’ momentum hit a major speed bump in the form of Mariner Lefthander Jason Vargas, who completely dominated San Diego hitters as they were shutout for the twelfth time this season. Vargas walked none and struck out seven while only throwing 106 pitches. The shutout was the third for him this season, all at Safeco Field which is a Seattle record.

He got run support early when Brendan Ryan doubled and then scored on a one-out single by Adam Kennedy in the bottom of the first inning.

Dustin Moseley, thought looking rather sharp in his brown 1983 throwback jersey, did not pitch as well when he walked three straight batters with runners at the corners in third inning, pushing the score to 2-0. Carlos Peguero then knocked two more in with a shallow single to center to add two more runs.

Seattle added two more runs with RBI doubles by Jack Cust and Adam Kennedy in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively.

San Diego did not get a runner in scoring position until Chase Headley took second base on a catcher’s indifference after his two out single in the ninth. Headley went 3-4 on the night. The hardest hit ball of the night might have been the foul Orlando Hudson hit off his upper shinbone just below his kneecap in the second. Hudson had to be carried off the field and was said to be day-to-day by the Padres after the game.

July 2nd, 2011 Padres 1, Mariners 0

WP Cory Luebke (2-2) 6IP 2H 0R 0ER 0BB 7K 0HR

LP Doug Fister (3-9) 9IP 6H 1R 1ER 1BB 7K 0HR

S Heath Bell (24) 1IP 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 0K 0HR

Cameron Maybin trotted to first base after taking a 3-2 pitch high for ball four in the top of the fifth. Only problem was it actually was ball three, as the stadium scoreboard operator had mistakenly given Maybin an extra ball. But by the time anyone had noticed, Maybin had stolen second and then scored on Alberto Gonzalez’s RBI single off the glove of shortstop Brendan Ryan.

The run would end up being the difference in the game as the Padres evened the series 1-1 against the Mariners.

Cory Luebke pitched well for six full innings, getting seven strikeouts and allowing no two hits and zero walks.

Chad Qualls relieved Luebke in the seventh inning. He induced a grounder from leadoff batter Ryan that was booted off the palm of Jason Bartlett’s glove for an error. Ryan then stole second and advanced to third on a deep flyout to right field by Franklin Gutierrez.

With the tying run on third and only one out, Chad Qualls did not waver. He struck out cleanup hitter Justin Smoak and then got a flyout from Greg Halman to escape the inning without giving up a run.

Mike Adams came into the game and retired all three batters he faced with only eight pitches, all strikes.

Heath Bell then earned his 24th save of the season by getting two ground balls and then a flyout by Ryan to Will Venable in shallow right to give the Padres the victory.

July 3rd, 2011 Mariners 3, Padres 1

WP Blake Beavan (1-0) 7IP 3H 1R 1ER 2BB 4K 0HR

LP Mat Latos (5-9) 6IP 4H 3R 3ER 3BB 5K 0HR

S Brandon League (22) 1IP 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2K 0HR

Blake Beavan made his major league debut a memorable one, pitching seven innings of three hit ball to lead the Mariners over the Padres, 3-1 on Sunday. His two-walk, four-strikeout performance snapped the Padres streak of consecutive series won at three. San Diego hadn’t ost since being swept in Minnesota June 17-19.

Mat Latos lost his ninth game of the season, allowing three runs over six innings.

Ichiro Suzuki singled and then stole second base before scoring on Adam Kennedy’s one-out single in the first.

The Padres tied the game in the top of the third when Will Venable doubled in Alberto Gonzalez from first base with one out. Venable had two hits in four atbats.

After being hitless for first two games of the series, Ichiro would single again to start the last half of the third. Brendan Ryan singled to left before Latos walked Kennedy to load the bases. Justin Smoak then would hit the ball to the warning track for an out, but Ichiro and Ryan would advance a base to put runners at the corners with Seattle up 2-1.

Dustin Ackley would then sacrifice in Kennedy to put the Mariners up by two.

The Padres loaded the bases in the eighth after Chris Denorfia drew a two-out walk from reliever David Pauley. But Cameron Maybin struck out swinging to end the threat. The Padres left eight runners on base.