KANSAS CITY -- Mariners manager John McLaren wanted Brandon Morrow to throw pitches in the dirt and out of the strike zone to Emil Brown. Morrow, unaware of this strategic move, thought he was supposed to throw fastballs.
The discrepancy helped Seattle lose, 3-2, to the Royals in 11 innings on Monday night at Kauffman Stadium. It gave McLaren a loss in his first game since Mike Hargrove resigned as Seattle's skipper and ended the Mariners' season-high eight-game winning streak. The team fell to 4 1/2 games back of the Angels in the AL West.

"It would be nice to win tonight," McLaren said. "That was a pretty intense game to be honest with you."

McLaren has repeatedly called the last few days a "whirlwind." That word could aptly describe Monday's finish as well.

After Felix Hernandez tossed eight innings of two-run ball, the Mariners' bullpen held the 2-2 stalemate until the 11th. Both teams enjoyed several chances to break the draw, but the Royals finally broke through in the 11th, an inning marked for one defensive misplay and one strategic misunderstanding.