NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Rodriguez flipped his bat once, twice, and trudged back to the dugout.
Another lost day at the plate for A-Rod, another loss for the punchless New York Yankees.
The Yankees dropped their fourth in a row when Chase Headley grounded out with runners on second and third to end it, falling 3-2 to the Seattle Mariners on Saturday.
Rodriguez struck out three times. The 40-year-old heard boos as his hitless slump reached 19 at-bats.
"I'm a rhythm guy and I'm just a little bit off right now," he said.
"I've played a lot of games and have had a lot of ups and downs," Rodriguez added. "That's the beauty of this game. You wish you come to the park every day with a 20-game hitting streak, but I think the true measurement is when you go through times, is to battle through it."
That's what the New York hitters are trying to do — they've gone 0 for 24 with runners in scoring position in the first two games of this series, and are 3 for 46 in those spots in their last five.
Still, it's Rodriguez who has become the focal point for the feeble production. A season after hitting 33 home runs, he's batting just .100 (3 for 30) with one homer and two RBIs.
Other than a home run on his first swing in spring training and his 688th career homer earlier this season, he's managed just singles this year.
Rodriguez flipped his bat in his hand after looking at strike three to close the sixth inning.
"It's perspective. If something like this happens in July or August, you don't think much of it. You want to go out and do well," he said. "Two things you can control every day when you come to the park: your attitude and your effort, and I feel pretty good about both."
"Physically I feel good. I'm working hard. Again, hopefully there's a big moment coming and you can work from there," he said.
After the game, Yankees manager Joe Girardi was asked about Rodriguez. It's become almost a daily ritual for him as the star's slump deepens.
"As a hitter, you go through it and it stinks. But you have to fight through it," Girardi said, adding, "I'm not going to make too much of it."
"If hitters were that good, they'd hit .500, .600, .700, .800, but it's what you go through as a hitter. You're going to go through streaks where you don't square up balls, you miss pitches that you should hit, your timing is slightly off."
Felix Hernandez (1-1) looked uncomfortable all afternoon yet overcame a career high-tying six walks to post his first win of the season. Seattle has won three in a row overall, and eight of its last 10 at Yankee Stadium.
Hernandez tied Randy Johnson's team record for career strikeouts. The Yankees put at least two runners on against him in each of his five innings.
Carlos Beltran hit a solo homer, two doubles and a single. His RBI double accounted for the only run against Hernandez.
Steve Cishek pitched the ninth for Seattle's first save of the season.
Speedy Ketel Marte dashed home from first base on Robinson Cano's hit-and-run single to put Seattle ahead in a three-run fifth against CC Sabathia (1-1).
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: C Brian McCann pinch hit in the eighth and stayed in the game. He didn't start after playing Friday night. McCann has been dealing with a bruised left toe that was nicked by a foul tip.
OVERPOWERING
Yankees relievers Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller each struck out three in one inning. They've combined to fan 21 of 35 batters this season.
CLOSING TIME
Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman hit 100 mph in his second extended spring training game Saturday. The left-hander worked a perfect inning, getting two strikeouts and a comebacker, in a camp game against Yankees minor leaguers. He is working out at the minor league complex in Tampa, Florida, while serving a season-opening 30-game suspension stemming from baseball's new domestic violence policy.
BULLPEN SHUTTLE
The Yankees optioned LHP Tyler Olson to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after he pitched 2 2/3 innings Friday night. RHP Branden Pinder was recalled from the minor league club. Girardi said the frequent shuffling of relievers is "part of the system."
UP NEXT
Masahiro Tanaka of the Yankees and Hisashi Iwakuma of the Mariners are set Sunday to become the first set of Japanese teammates to oppose each other as starting pitchers in the major leagues. The 35-year-old Iwakuma and the 27-year-old Tanaka played together from 2007-11 with Rakuten. "I'm sure there will be a lot of TVs on in Japan," Girardi said.
