Baltimore shortstop J.J. Hardy is a career .273 hitter against the Mariners. He had a run-scoring double Monday. / Wiki Commons

GAME: Orioles (83-64, 2nd, AL East, – 0.5 GB) at Mariners (70-78, 4th, AL West, – 18.0 GB). GAME #: 149. SERIES: 2nd of 3 games. MEETING: 8th (Orioles lead 6-1). WHEN: Tuesday, 7:10 p.m., Safeco Field. PROBABLE PITCHERS: LHP Wei-Yin Chen (Baltimore, 12-9, 4.00) vs. RHP Erasmo Ramirez (Seattle, 1-2, 3.49). STREAKS: Mariners L 2; Orioles W 2. TV: ROOT Sports, MLB TV. RADIO: ESPN 710 (Seattle), Mariners Radio Network

Monday night’s 10-4 trouncing by the Baltimore Orioles sent the Mariners 18 games behind Texas in the AL West race, the farthest back Seattle has been all season. At 70-78, it would requite a near miracle for the Mariners to finish with a .500 record, especially considering that every team they play the rest of the way remains in playoff contention.

Manager Eric Wedge said Monday that he will not use the remainder of the season to play prospects.

“We are going to field our best lineup,” Wedge said. “It doesn’t mean we’re not going to still play some of these young kids, because on a particular day, we feel like that might be it.”

Wedge will take a second look at Erasmo Ramirez Tuesday following his recall from AAA Tacoma. Ramirez notched his first major league win in his last outing. He will oppose LHP Wei-Yin Chen, who took a no-decision in the club’s 14-inning win over Tampa Bay Thursday, striking out seven in 7.1 innings. A closer look:

MARINERS: RHP Erasmo Ramirez (1-2, 3.49 ERA, 1.06 WHIP)

Erasmo Ramirez

The 22-year-old Ramirez, in his first major league season, will make his sixth start, his second since his recall from AAA Tacoma, and his first against the Orioles. Ramirez, who has had a pair of relief appearances since his recall, is coming off a 4-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Center Sept. 11.

A native of Rivas, Nicaragua, the 5-11, 205-pound Ramirez came to the Mariners in 2007 as an amateur free agent. He began his professional career in 2008 with the Mariners entry in the Venezuelan summer league. He also pitched for the club in 2009, posting an 11-1 record.

That earned him a promotion to Class A Clinton of the Midwest League in 2010, when he went 10-4. Ramirez pitched for AA Jackson and AAA Tacoma in 2011. He went a combined 10-8.

Ramirez made his major league debut April 9, working in relief of Hector Noesi in an 11-9 Texas win over Seattle at Rangers Ballpark. He pitched 3.0 innings and allowed one run on two hits and surrendered a home run. He did not factor in the decision.

After allowing earned runs in each of his first three appearances, he did not allow any in his last four. The Mariners had seen enough to send him down to Tacoma in order to build him back into a starter. When the Mariners had seen enough of Blake Beavan’s troubles, they farmed him out and recalled Ramirez June 12.

During Ramirez’s June 30 start against Boston, Ramirez suffered a right flexor elbow strain and had to come out of the game. The Mariners subsequently placed him on the 15-day disabled list. When he was healthy enough to pitch, he was sent to Tacoma. In 15 starts for the Rainiers, Ramirez went 6-3, 3.72. Ramirez worked one inning of relief against Oakland Sept. 7.

• LAST START: Sept. 11 at Toronto, won 4-3; two earned runs on six hits over 7.0 innings; six strikeouts to one walk; 90 pitches, 66 for strikes; no home runs.
• LAST VS. ORIOLES: Never faced.
• CAREER VS. ORIOLES: No record.
• AT SAFECO FIELD: 0-2, 3.00 in six games, including three starts, covering 21.0 innings; 18 strikeouts to four walks; 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings; one home run.
• LOVES/HATES TO FACE: Ramirez never faced the Orioles.

ORIOLES: LHP Wei-Yin Chen (12-9, 4.00 ERA, 1,24 WHIP)

Wei-Yin Chen

The 27-year-old Chen, in his first season in the major leagues, will make his 30th start and second against the Mariners. Chen took a no-decision in Baltimore’s 5-4 win over Seattle July 3 at Safeco Field. He has two losses and two no-decisions in his past four outings and is coming off  a no-decision against Tampa Bay Sept.

A native of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, the 6-0, 195-pound Chen signed with the Orioles as an amateur free agent Jan. 10. Prior to joining the Orioles, Chen pitched for the Chunichi Dragons in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) from 2004-2010.

Chen won the 2009 Central League ERA title with the lowest ERA (1.54) since the 1968 season. Chen had Tommy John surgery at the end of 2006 season.

In addition to his time with Chunichi, Chen pitched for the Chinese Taipei national team in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games.

Chen throws a fastball that is usually around 90-92 mph (tops out at 96 mph). The best breaking ball in his repertoire is a mid-80s slider.

Chen made his major league debut April 10 against the New York Yankees at Camden Yards. He received a no-decision after allowing two earned runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings. He struck out six and walked one and allowed one home run.

• 2012: Chen has worked into the seventh inning in 12 of his 29 starts. He has his best outing June 17 against Atlanta when he defeated the Braves 2-0, scattering six hits over 6.0 innings. Chen was shelled seven times, most recently Sept. 7 when the Yankees battered him for seven earned runs. He has allowed two or fewer runs 17 times.
• LAST START: Sept. 13 at Camden Yards, took a no-decision against the Yankees; two earned runs on eight hits in 7.1 innings; seven strikeouts to one walk; no home runs.
• LAST VS. MARINERS: July 3 at Safeco Field, took a no-decision in Baltimore’s 5-4 victory; two earned runs on two hits in 7.1 innings; nine strikeouts, no walks, one home run.
• CAREER VS. MARINERS: 0-0, 2.45 ERA in one start covering 7.1 innings; 11.0 strikeouts per nine innings; 0.27 WHIP.
• AT SAFECO FIELD: Same as above.
• LOVES/HATES TO FACE: The Mariners have had only 21 at-bats, with two hits (Michael Saunders, Casper Wells) against Chen.

AL WEST STANDINGS

MARINERS / STATS NOTES

• CURRENT HOME STAND: Three vs. Baltimore (Monday-Wednesday), three vs. Texas (Friday-Sunday).
• HOME STAND PROMOTIONS: Tuesday — King’s Court, Roberto Clemente Night, Military Special Night . . . Wednesday — Grand Slam Family Package Night . . . For details see Mariners Promotions Page.
• MARINERS VS. ORIOLES: Mariners 172-205 all-time vs. the Orioles, including 40-24 at Safeco Field. Mariners lost two of three to the Orioles at Safeco Field July 2-4 and were swept at Camden Yards Aug. 7-9. Mariners last swept a three-game series from Baltimore at Safeco Field April 19-21, 2010. Orioles last swept at Safeco May 16-18, 1997.
  
• LOG: Chris Tillman and Adam Jones were two of the players the Mariners sent to the Orioles in a lopsided trade for Erik Bedard in February of 2008. On Monday night, Tillman ran his record to 4-0, 0.98 ERA against Seattle in four starts (he’s 11-17, 5.44 against everyone else) and Jones scored four times in the Orioles’ 10-4 victory . . . The Mariners scored all of their runs Monday on home runs by Michael Saunders, Eric Thames and John Jaso . . . Hector Noesi gave up six earned runs on eight hits in his 54-pitch outing, prompting manager Eric Wedge to say, “Hector has to do better than that. It just wasn’t a good day for him at all.”
• SEASON SUMMARY: Series Record: Won 21, Split 2, Lost 25 . . . Sweeps: 6; Swept: 6 . . . Longest Win Streak: 8 (Aug. 15-21); Longest Losing Streak: 7 (April 28-May 4) . . . vs. AL East: 18-26; vs. AL Central: 24-16; vs. AL West: 19-26; vs. LAA: 5-8; vs. Oak: 7-9; vs. Tex: 7-9; vs. NL West: 8-10; vs. Interleague: 8-10 . . . Biggest Lead: 1.0, April 7; Farthest Behind: 18.0, Sept. 17 . . . Most Runs Scored: 21, May 30 at Texas (21-8); Most Runs Allowed: 11, April 9 at Texas . . . Walk-Off Wins: 6, May 7, first since Sept. 14, 2011 vs. New York, and first via a sacrifice fly (John Jaso) since Sept. 14, 2007 vs. Tampa Bay (Jose Guillen); June 17 vs. San Francisco (Justin Smoak ninth-inning single); June 28 vs. Boston (Jaso ph ninth-inning single); June 30 vs. Boston (Chone Figgins sacrifice fly 11th inning); Aug. 14, vs. Tampa, Eric Thames ninth-inning single scored Figgins; Aug. 18 vs. Minnesota, John Jaso sacrifice fly in ninth inning . . . Walk-Off Losses: 9, April 30 at Tampa Bay, Elliott Johnson, RBI single in 12th off Brandon League; May 17, at Cleveland, Carlos Santana bases-loaded single off League in 11th; July 6, at Oakland, Chris Carter 3-run walk-off homer off Steve Delabar; July 7, at Oakland, Josh Reddick run-scoring double off Oliver Perez in 13th; July 18, at Kansas City, Billy Butler, home run off Josh Kinney in bottom 9th; July 20, at Tampa Bay, Ben Zobrist double off Tom Wilhelmsen in bottom 14th; Aug. 7, Adam Jones 14th-inning single off Shawn Kelley in bottom 14th; Aug. 10, Josh Kinney wild pitched in the winning run (Bourjos) with the bases loaded in the ninth inning at Anaheim; Aug. 24, Paul Konerko double in ninth off Wilhelmsen . . . Times Opponent Shut out: 9; Times Shut out by Opponent: 12; Comeback Wins: 21; Largest Comeback: 3; Blown Leads: 33; Largest Comeback: 3.
• BATTING: Mariners rank 14th (AL) in runs (561), 14th in hits (1161), 14th in doubles (210), eighth in triples (25) and 11th in home runs (132 ) . . . Rank 14th in batting aver age (.233) . . . 14th in on-base percentage (.294), 14th in slugging (.365) and 14th in OPS (.659) . . . Batting 265-for-1081 (.245) with runners in scoring position after going 2-for-6 Monday . . . Batting Average: John Jaso, .277; Hits: Kyle Seager, 137; Runs: Dustin Ackley, 80; Home Runs: Kyle Seager, 18; RBIs: Kyle Seager, 81 . . Batted around seven times: April 7 at Oakland (4th inning), April 9 at Texas (1st), April 17 vs. Cleveland (4th), May 29 at Texas (8th), May 30 at Texas (2nd and 3rd), Aug. 24 at Chicago (9th).
• BATTING EXTRA: Longest Hitting Streak: Dustin Ackley, 13 games, May 3-17 . . . Four-Hit Games: Ichiro, March 28 vs. Oakland; Justin Smoak, April 17 vs. Cleveland; Jesus Montero, May 1 at Tampa; Kyle Seager, May 30 at Texas; Michael Saunders, June 2, at Chicago; Ichiro, June 19 at Arizona; Franklin Gutierrez, June 22 at San Diego . . . Grand Slams (2): Michael Saunders, April 27 at Toronto; Alex Liddi, May 23 vs. Texas . . . Back-To-Back Home Runs (3): Jesus Montero, Justin Smoak, 3rd inning, May 20, at Colorado; Miguel Olivo, Dustin Ackley, 8th inning, July 2, vs. Baltimore; Franklin Gutierrez, Kyle Seager, 3rd inning, Sept. 4, vs. Boston.
• PITCHING: Mariners third in ERA (3.80), fifth in hits allowed (1229), third in runs allowed (596), fifth in home runs allowed (154), fifth in walks (414) and ninth in strikeouts (1059) . . . Games: Tom Wilhelmsen, 66; Starts: Jason Vargas, 31; Wins: Vargas, 14; ERA: Hernandez 2.92; Complete Games: Hernandez 5 . . . Shutouts: Hernandez 5; Saves: Wilhelmsen, 27.
• DEBUTS: Munenori Kawasaki (April 7), Lucas Luetge (April 7), Erasmo Ramirez (April 9), Hisashi Iwakuma (April 20), Stephen Pryor (June 2), Carter Capps (Aug. 3), Luis Jimenez (Sept. 5), Carlos Triunfel (Sept. 7).
  
• DISABLED LIST: George Sherrill (60-day, April 13, strained flexor bundle).
• EX-MARINERS VS. CURRENT MARINERS: April 19, Jack Hannahan, Indians, 2-run single in ninth off Brandon League in Tribe’s 2-1 win; April 28, Brandon Morrow, Blue Jays, one earned run over 7.0 innings in 7-0 win; May 11, Raul Ibanez, Yankees, 3-run homer off Felix Hernandez in 6-2 win; May 12, Raul Ibanez, Yankees, solo homer off Hector Noesi in 6-2 win; May 15, David Ortiz, Red Sox, solo homer off Blake Beaven in 5-0 Red Sox win; May 16, Shin-Soo Choo (3), Asdrubal Cabrera (2) and Jose Lopez (1) combined for 6 hits in 9-3 Cleveland win; May 17, Casey Kotchman (2), Cabrera (2), Jose Lopez (1), Choo (1) had six of Cleveland’s 10 hits, plus 5 RBIs, in a 6-5 win; July 4, Chris Tillman recorded first win of the year in a 4-2 Baltimore win by allowing two runs over 8.1 innings; July 13, Adrian Beltre two-run HR off Kevin Millwood in a 3-2 Texas win at Safeco Field; July 15, Beltre had three hits and two RBIs in a 4-0 Texas win over Seattle at Safeco Field; July 23, Four ex-Mariners played roles in beating the Mariners 4-1: Ichiro, traded 3 1/2 hours before the opening pitch, singled and stole his 16th base; Alex Rodriguez belted his 40th career home run at Safeco Field; Raul Ibanezhad an RBI single; Rafael Soriano notched the save; July 26, Soriano notched his 26th save in New York’s 5-2 win over the Mariners at Safeco Field; Aug. 5, Raul Ibanez clubbed a three-run homer, Freddy Garcia won his 150th career game and Ichiro extended his hitting streak to 12 games as the Yankees defeated the Mariners 6-2; Aug. 6, Chris Tillman took a three-hit shutout into the eighth and defeated the Mariners 3-1 at Camden Yards; Aug. 7, Adam Jones walk-off single against Shawn Kelley in the bottom of the 14th gave Baltimore an 8-7 win over Seattle; Sept. 17, Chris Tillman beat the Mariners for the fourth time in 2012 and Adam Jones scored four runs in Baltimore’s 10-4 victory.

2012 RECORDS / MILESTONES

• April 24: Catcher Miguel Olivo matched the franchise record when he was charged with three passed balls in a 7-4 win at Detroit. Jerry Narron let three balls get by him Oct. 4, 1980, and Jeff Clement did likewise Aug. 10, 2008 (Clement was catching knuckleballer R.A. Dickey).
• April 27: Michael Saunders joined Donnie Scott (April 29, 1985) and Jimmy Presley (April 8, 1986) as the only Mariners to hit two home runs in a game in the ninth inning or later (solo homer in the 9th, grand slam in the 10th).
• April 30: When both Miguel Olivo and Jesus Montero homered, it marked the first time in franchise history that two players had homered in the same game as a catcher.
• May 2: Ichiro set a club record for most putouts by a right fielder in a nine-inning game, registering 10 in a 5-4 loss at Tampa.
• May 3: The Mariners featured a lineup at Tampa Bay that included seven left- handed hitters and two switch-hitters. It marked only the third time in club history that the Mariners used an all left-sided lineup. Others: Aug. 13, 1983 at California and Aug. 9, 1983 at Oakland.
• May 5: Combined one-hitter by Felix Hernandez and Steve Delabar vs. Minnesota was the 13th in Mariners history. Ten have been thrown by one pitcher, three combined. Most recent combined: Michael Pineda, Jeff Gray and Brandon League vs. Tampa, July 30, 2011. Most recent by one pitcher: Jarrod Washburn, July 6, 2009.
• May 9: When John Jaso batted leadoff against Detroit, it marked the first time since 1978 that a catcher had hit first for the Marines (Bob Stinson). Oddly, lefty Jaso led off against Tiger lefty Drew Smyly.
• May 8: Kevin Millwood’s 2-0 shutout marked his first in nearly nine years. He did not surrender his first hit until there were two outs in the sixth. Millwood’s gem marked only the fourth time in 1,440 games at Coors Field that an opposing pitcher held the Rockies to two hits or less while shutting them out. Millwood’s complete game also was the first by a Mariner in 2012.
• May 27: The pinch-hit grand slam allowed by Felix Hernandez to Alberto Callaspo marked just the sixth against the Mariners in 35 years, and the first since May 6, 1988 when Pat Sheridan of Detroit hit one off Mike Jackson.
• May 30: Mariners defeated Texas 21-8, just the third time in franchise history they have scored 20 or more runs in a game. The Mariners, with 20 hits, became the first team since 1880 to score 20 runs in a game in the same season it also go perfect-oed.
• June 8: Kevin Millwood and five relievers collaborated for the 10th combined no-hitter in major league history in a 1-0 win over the Dodgers at Safeco Field. Millwood (6.0), Charlie Furbush (0.2), Stephen Pryor (0.1), Lucas Luetge (0.1), Brandon League (0.2), and Tom Wilhelmsen (1.0) tied the MLB record for most pitchers used in a no-hitter (Houston vs. the Yankees June 11, 2003). It marked the third no-hitter in Mariners history.
• June 18: Aaron Hill of Arizona hit for the cycle in the Diamondbacks’ 7-1 win over the Mariners. Hill singled in the first (Hector Noesi), tripled in the third (Noesi), doubled in the fifth (Noesi) and homered in the seventh (Shawn Kelley).
• June 19: Ichiro reached 2,500 hits (first-inning single) in the fourth-fewest games in major league history during a 12-9 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. His 2,500th hit came in his 1,817th game. Al Simmons had 2,500 hits in 1,784 games, Ty Cobb in 1,790 and George Sisler in 1,808 . . . When Kyle Seager and Brendan Ryan both hit three-run homers in the fifth inning, it marked the first time since July 30, 2003 vs. Detroit that the Mariners had a pair of three-run bombs in the same inning. In that July 30, 2003 game, John Olerud hit a three-run homer and Randy Winn a grand slam in the first inning.
• July 1: One-time Mariner farmhand David Ortiz of the Red Sox hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th inning, giving Boston a 2-1 win over the Mariners.
• July 3: In Seattle’s 6-3 win over Baltimore at Safeco Field, The Mariners had three Japanese players in the starting lineup – Ichiro Suzuki, Munenori Kawasaki and Hisashi Iwakuma – for the first time in major league history.
• July 23: Mariners traded Ichiro, face of the franchise for 11 1/2 years, to the Yankees for two prospects and cash considerations. Ichiro made his debut against Seattle with the Yankees at Safeco field and went 1-for-4 with a stolen base.
• Aug. 15: Felix Hernandez threw the 23rd perfect game in major league history, defeating Tampa Bay 1-0 at Safeco Field. Hernandez recorded 12 strikeouts in throwing the third no-hitter in franchise history . . . Mariners became the first team in MLB history to throw a perfect game and have one thrown against them. It was also the first time two have been thrown in the same stadium in one season . . . Of the 22 previous perfect games, six were by 1-0 scores, the last by Roy Halladay May 29, 2010 at Florida. It was also the fourth 1-0 win for the Mariners this season . . .Hernandez became the second Latin American pitcher to do the deed (Nicaragua’s Dennis Martinez for Montreal July 28, 1991, against the Dodgers).

MARINERS WON-LOSS BREAKDOWN

MARINERS BATTING PROFILE

MARINERS PITCHING PROFILE

PROBABLE PITCHERS

MARINERS 2012 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

March (1-1)

April (10-12)

May (12-17)

June (11-16)

July (15-11)

August (15-12)

September (6-9)

October