Russell Wilson put responsibility on his teammates to do the right thing. / Art Thiel, Sportspress Northwest

Once beloved by the pro football nation as Super Bowl favorites, the Seahawks are causing eyebrows to arch, maybe furrow. The local franchise already has been nicknamed by the twitterati the SeAdderall  Seahawks. Affections in the big time are fickle.

“I’m really disappointed that we have to deal with anything like this, but there are going to be other issues too, and we’ll have to deal with them,” said coach Pete Carroll, and he wasn’t kidding. After word that the count reached six among Seahawks violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy since 2011, more bad news — backup QB Josh Portis was busted May 5 for a DUI on I-90 exiting the Mount Baker Tunnel, and will be arraigned next week.

News of the DUI bust in the Seattle Times came nearly upon the start Monday of the Seahawks’ initial organized team activity of the offseason, the first time that Seahawks veterans, rookies and free agents were allowed by the NFL calendar to gather, padless, to work out together.

A battalion of media gathered at the Renton practice facility less to see heralded newcomer Percy Harvin bust a move, and more to hear how Carroll would move past the busts. A dubious start to a season highly anticipated by the Seahawks masses.

Unprompted by questions, Carroll opened his post-practice press conference with a rambling soliloquy about misbehavior. Without mentioning names, specifically defensive end Bruce Irvin’s, whose four-game suspension was announced Friday, Carroll filibustered long about foolishness.

“Unfortunately, if you go wrong, you get popped, and that’s how this thing works,” Carroll said. “Over the years, I’ve seen what it takes to be consistently on top and to stay on top and to keep winning, and to endure all that goes along with that it takes a giant commitment. Guys have to really be in it for the right reasons and to do things right.”

Asked if, as the head guy, he takes some responsibility, he said, “Always, always . . . Sometimes the message in some areas are taken to heart and delivered upon . . . and sometimes it doesn’t hit home. That doesn’t mean we kick them out the door. That means we try to help them through it and make them see the right thing.”

Neither the NFL nor the Seahawks have identified the drug in question in the Irvin episode. But since Irvin in his apology mentioned that he failed to provide the NFL with a prescription, the drug is suspected to be Adderall, a stimulant on the banned list as a performance enhancer and very trendy in the NFL.

Last season, cornerbacks Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman were suspended for Adderall, although Sherman had his suspension overturned when his complaint about a chain-of-custody problem was upheld on appeal. Sherman made a remark in an April interview in Vancouver B.C. that “half the league” was using Adderall.

Earlier Seahawks suspensions involved G John Moffitt, CB Winston Guy, OG Allen Barbre and a practice squad member, DT Vai Taua.

The league-leading frequency of the violations maybe make the Seahawks subject to a fine from the NFL office. According to a story on NFL.com Monday afternoon, the league has a policy about cumulative violations of PEDs and personal conduct policies in a given season that can be subject to punishment.

“There are financial consequences for a team that has multiple players suspended in a season under those policies,” league spokesman Greg Aiello said. No specifics were provided, and the Seahawks violations have come over parts of three seasons.

Apart from the administrative issues, the Seahawks are losing players for non-injury reasons, and it’s starting to annoy teammates, maybe even Russell Wilson, although when asked Monday, the Seahawks quarterback kept his emotions in check.

“Obviously we want everybody here,” Wilson said. “It’s an important thing to have everybody to be able to play at the highest level. “We’ve got to make the right decision as players.

“It doesn’t matter what the coaches say  . . . we have to make the decision as players, and I think we’ll do that. We have to continue to be leaders in the locker room and make sure that everybody knows (use of performance enhancers) is unacceptable. We’ll still support the guys, whoever is in trouble or whatever, but the next guy’s got to step up.”

Speaking of stepping up, from the pragmatic standpoint of the regular season, their top two pass-rushing defensive ends, Irvin and Chris Clemons (knee surgery) will be unavailable. Then came news after the OTA that newcomer DE Cliff Avril is having trouble with a plantar fascia in a foot, hasn’t run in awhile and may need a couple of more weeks of rest.

There’s no indication yet it’s a threat to the season, but the injury has the capacity to linger. Nevertheless, the Seahawks are now thin in a position they targeted to strengthen in the offseason.

Nor did it help that RB Marshawn Lynch, the team’s key to a run-dominated offense, chose not to show. The OTAs are not mandatory, and Lynch is not injured.

“We miss him and we’d like him to be here,” Carroll said. “He came in here 10 days ago, and is he’s in very good shape.”

Given the anticipation for the Seahawks’ season, every bit of unfavorable news stands out like a spaghetti-sauce stain on a Marine in dress uniform. And it’s especially true when the slop is self-inflicted.

If this Adderall-abuse business is true, we all know it is not unique to one team, nor one industry. We also know that most competitors in any endeavor are looking for undetectable edges.

But the Seahawks nevertheless are an unusual team, because they appear to be championship-caliber. If these readily avoidable violations are an indicator of the response to that pressure, this team is more vulnerable than it appears, and at the very least in need of a Three Stooges-style serial dope-slap.

Wilson should feel free to grab a stool and start going down the row.

Undaunted, Chris Hansen plans to carry on with his arena plan and pursuing another team. / KING5 photo

After nearly a week of silence following the rebuke by NBA owners of his offer to buy and relocate the Sacramento Kings, Chris Hansen said he plans to continue with the SoDo arena project and to “work with the League regarding opportunities that may arise to return an NBA franchise to our City.”

Hansen’s statement on sonicsarena.com contained little new information other than making clear his intent to persevere despite a 22-8 vote to reject relocation in a meeting in Dallas Wednesday, and the subsequent sale of the Kings for $535 million to a group that emerged after Hansen initially offered $525 million in January to the Maloof family that owned the team.

The congratulatory, conciliatory remarks gave no indication that Hansen was interested in any legal challenge to the decision to reject his offer.

Hansen congratulated Mayor Kevin Johnson and Sacramento fans and said there was “mutual respect” for what both sides went through and that the bidding was never about “Seattle fans versus Sacramento fans.”

He wrote, “This process was instead about our group and our city putting our best foot forward in an honest and transparent way to return basketball to Seattle, and in that regard our efforts remain undeterred.”

Hansen reiterated his original position when he began the project that it would take time and patience.

“The prospects for expansion (are) unclear, (and) the path for returning an NBA franchise to Seattle was likely to prove even more difficult and require even more patience,” he wrote. “Thus, even as we are disappointed with the developments related to our efforts to purchase the Kings, we would just like to reiterate our dedication to bringing the NBA back to Seattle.”

After thanking his staff and the political and business communities that supported his effort, he threw out a request to fans:

“Keep the Green and Gold alive… and just know that we remain as dedicated as ever to seeing Sonics Basketball return to the Emerald City.”

The Washington State Patrol pulled over Portis at 9:26 p.m. after he was observed traveling 80 mph in the 60 mph zone through the Mount Baker Tunnel. The arresting officer noticed “a strong odor of intoxicants coming from the vehicle” and that the driver “had watery bloodshot eyes.”

Portis had two blood tests and registered blood alcohol concentration readings of .092 and .078. The legal limit is .080. He was charged with a gross misdemeanor.

Portis, a former third string QB, was re-signed by the Seahawks in April to compete with Brady Quinn and Jerrod Johnson to back up starter Russell Wilson. Portis spent all of the 2011 season on the Seattle roster, and spent 12 weeks last year on the practice squad before being released in November. He has yet to play in a regular-season game.

The Seahawks were hit last week with the news that DE Bruce Irvin violated the NFL’s substance abuse policy and would be suspended for the regular season’s first four games. He became the sixth Seahawks player to test positive for a banned substance since 2011.

They also witnessed Monday a meltdown by their No. 2 starter, Hisashi Iwakuma, but were able to battle back long after he departed to make a game of it, only to blow it.

The Mariners had home runs in the eighth (Kyle Seager), ninth (Endy Chavez) and 10th innings (Justin Smoak) Monday that either enabled them to tie or take the lead. But after taking an 8-7 lead into the bottom of the 10th, Furbush couldn’t hold it.

He went 3-0 on Cleveland’s No. 7 hitter, Michael Brantley, who flared a single to center. Drew Stubbs reached first when Smoak dropped the ball at first on a routine grounder. Then, on a full count, Gomes ripped the ball over the wall in left for the game-winning home run. It was Gomes’ second long ball of the game.

The Mariners (20-25) have lost a season-high four games after briefly moving into second place in the AL West earlier in the week.

Seattle went ahead 2-0, trailed 4-2, 5-2, tied at 5, trailed 6-5 and evened at 6 when Seager homered to right on a full count, his sixth of the year. Chavez gave the Mariners a 7-6 lead in the ninth when, pinch-hittingh for Kelly Shoppach, he hit a ball over the center field wall, Seattle’s first pinch homer since June, 2012, when Franklin Gutierrez vs. Arizona.

Closer Tom Wilhelmsen came on in the ninth with an opportunity to record his 12th save in 12 chances and immediately induced Michael Bourn to line out. But Jason Kipnis, who had a walk-off hit to beat the Mariners in Game 1 of the series, reached on an error by second baseman Robert Andino.

Nick Swisher flared a ball to right that fell in for a hit, sending Kipnis to third with the tying run, which Cleveland collected when Wilhelmsen, covering the bag at first, dropped a throw from Smoak, allowing Kipnis to score the tying run.

Smoak hit one of the longest home runs of his career in the 10th, a second-deck blast that extended his hitting streak to five games. But Furbush fell on his sword when Gomes came to the plate a half an inning later. Had Furbush gotten the job done, he would have recorded his first major league save.

At least Iwakuma didn’t absorb his second loss against five wins. He allowed five earned runs (two homers), but was gone long before the issue was decided. As it was, he departed with an ERA of 2.37, up from 1.84. When the four-game series began, Iwakuma and Hernandez had a 1.68 ERA in a combined 18 starts.

The Mariners staked Iwakuma to a 2-0 lead in the the first on an RBI double to left by Kendrys Morales, scoring Jason Bay, and Michael Morse’s RBI single that brought home Morales. But Iwakuma, who retired the first four Cleveland hitters he faced, was roughed up in the second.

After Carlos Santana doubled, Iwakuma walked Brantley on four pitches. Ryan Raburn followed a three-run homer and Gomes added a solo shot for a 4-2 lead.

The Mariners tied it in the third on another RBI single by Morales and a ground ball by Morse that plated Seager, whe doubled.

Cleveland regained the lead 5-4 in the third when Brantley singled, scoring Nick Swisher, who opened with a double. The Mariners answered with the tying run in the fourth when backup catcher Shoppach scored on Saunders’ fielder’s choice.

Iwakuma departed after six innings and Yoervis Medina came on and couldn’t get out of his own way, throwing just nine strikes to 13 balls. His first walk, to Bourn, came around to score, giving for 6-5 lead. Seager ripped a line-drive homer in the eighth to tie the game at 6.

The Mariners open a two-game series with the Los Angeles Angels Tuesday night, will take a day off Thursday and begin a three-game series with the AL West-leading Texas Rangers Friday night at Safeco Field.

NOTES: Manager Eric Wedge said Monday that Aaron Harang will make his scheduled start Tuesday in Anaheim. Harang has been bothered by a stiff back. Harang is 1-4 with a 7.30 ERA in five games since he was acquired in a trade with the Colorado Rockies April 12 . . . In the first three losses of the series, the Mariners went 1-for-20 (.050) with runners in scoring position.

This marks the third time since Johnson joined Sounders that he has been voted MLS Player of the Week. He previously won the honor versus the LA Galaxy in Week 22 and Chivas USA in Week 27 last season.

Johnson staked Seattle to an early lead against Dallas with his opening goal in the 30^th minute. He later scored the game-winner in the 62^nd minute for his team-leading fourth goal of the season.

The MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by a panel of journalists from NASR. The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media.

The Sounders, who have collected six points and scored eight goals in their past two matches, are off until Sunday when they travel to Los Angeles to meet the Galaxy. The Sounders then play at Chivas USA June 1 before returning to CenturyLink Field June 8 for a Cascadia Cup match against the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Hisashi Iwakuma (5-1) goes for his sixth victory of the season Monday when the Mariners conclude a four-game series with the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. / Wiki Commons

GAME: Mariners (20-24, 3rd, AL West, -9.0 GB) at Indians (25-17, 1st, AL Central, +2.0 GA). GAME #: 45. SERIES: 4th of 4 games. MEETING: 4th (Indians lead 3-0). WHEN: Monday, 9:05 a.m., Progressive Field. STREAKS: Mariners L 3; Indians W 4. TV: Root Sports. RADIO: ESPN 710, Mariners Radio Network

After losing twice to Cleveland on walk-off hits and a third time in a Felix Hernandez meltdown, the Mariners wrap up their four-game series with the Indians at Progressive Field Monday morning. RHP Hisashi Iwakuma is the main man standing between Seattle and its first four-game losing streak of the season.

Iwakuma (5-1, 1.84 ERA) has been excellent all season — he’s an All-Star candidate — and won his third straight with seven innings of two-run ball in a 12-2 victory over the Yankees his last time out. Opponents are hitting .183 off him, and he has a 0.78 WHIP in nine starts, best in the majors.

He faces an intriguing opponent in Cleveland starter Scott Kazmir, who is trying to make a comeback in the majors after two years of injuries and mechanical issues. As recently as 2012, Kazmir pitched for the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League. A closer look at Monday’s probables:

MONDAY’S PROBABLES

MARINERS: RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (5-1, 1.84 ERA, 0.78 WHIP)

The 32-year-old Iwakuma, in his second major league season, both with Seattle, will make his 10th start and first against the Indians. Iwakuma seeks his fourth consecutive victory and sixth overall. Iwakuma has 37 strikeouts in his past five outings.

• LAST START: May 15 at New York, won 12-2; 2 earned runs on 8 hits in 7.0 innings; 4 strikeouts, 0 walks, 2 home runs, 89 pitches, 60 for strikes.

• LAST VS. INDIANS: Aug. 22, 2012, took a no-decision in Seattle’s 3-1 win at Safeco Field; 1 earned run on 6 hits in 5.2 innings; 5 strikeouts, 3 walks, 0 home runs, 90 pitches, 59 for strikes.

• CAREER VS. INDIANS: 0-0, 1.86 ERA in 2 games, including 1 start, covering 9.2 innings; 9 strikeouts, 6 walks, 1 home run, 1.55 WHIP.

• AT PROGRESSIVE FIELD: 0-0, 2.25 ERA in 1 appearance covering 4.0 innings; 4 strikeouts, 0 walks, 1 home run, 1.50 WHIP.

• LOVES TO FACE: Lou Mason (0-for-3, .000), Nick Swisher (0-for-3, .000), Mark Reynolds (0-for-2, .000).

• HATES TO FACE: Michael Brantley (1-for-3, .333), Asdrubal Cabrera (1-for-4, .250), Carlos Santana (1-for-4, .250).

• CURRENT INDIANS VS. IWAKUMA: 4-for-25, .160 BA, 8 strikeouts, 2 walks, 0 home runs, .222 on-base percentage.

INDIANS: LHP Scott Kazmir (2-2, 5.33 ERA, 1.46 WHIP)

The 29-year-old Kazmir, a Houston native in his ninth major league season and first with Cleveland, will make his sixth start and first against the Mariners. Kazmir, who joined the Indians from the Angels, has yet to pitch into the seventh inning in any of his starts. He had his best outing May 9 vs. Oakland, when he allowed one earned run in 6.0 innings.

                LAST START: May 14 at Philadelphia, lost 6-2; 4 earned runs on 6 hits in 5.0 innings; 3 strikeouts, 2 walks, 2 home runs, 96 pitches, 60 for strikes.

• LAST VS. MARINERS: May 28, 2010, pitching for the Angels, lost 8-3; 6 earned runs on 8 hits in 5.1 innings; 1 strikeout, 1 walk, 0 home runs, 86 pitches, 67 for strikes.

• CAREER VS. MARINERS: 3-3, 3.27 ERA in 9 starts covering 52.1 innings; 49 strikeouts, 19 walks, 4 home runs, 1.12 WHIP.

• AT PROGRESSIVE FIELD: 3-2, 3.28 ERA in 6 starts covering 35.2 innings; 41 strikeouts, 14 walks, 6 home runs, 1.37 WHIP.

• LOVES TO FACE: Michael Saunders (0-for-3, .000), Kendrys Morales (1-for-5, .200), Raul Ibanez (2-for-9, .222).

• HATES TO FACE: Brendan Ryan (1-for-3, .333), Jason Bay (4-for-15, .267), Kelly Shoppach (1-for-4, .250).

• CURRENT MARINERS VS. KAZMIR: 17-for-66, .258 BA, 18 strikeouts, 4 walks, 6 home runs, .300 on-base percentage.

MARINERS STATS / NOTES

• CURRENT ROAD TRIP: Three at New York (Tuesday-Thursday), four at Cleveland (Friday-Monday), two at L.A. Angels (Tuesday-Wednesday). The Mariners return to Safeco Field Friday to begin a three-game series with the Texas Rangers.
• The five earned runs allowed by Felix Hernandez Sunday marked a season high — he had allowed just four earned runs total in his past six starts.
• Aaron Harang threw before Sunday’s game and manager Eric Wedge said he believes that everything is on track for Harang to make his next scheduled start, Tuesday in Anaheim. Harang missed his last start with back stiffness.
• When Raul Ibanez and Justin Smoak hit back-to-back, two-out home runs in the ninth inning Saturday against the Indians, it was the first time in club history that had occurred to tie a game in the ninth inning or later.
• Sunday’s 6-0 shutout was Seattle’s the third blanking of the year.
• In the Mariners’ 20 victories, they are batting .298 (48-for-161) with runners in scoring position. In 24 losses, the Mariners are batting .112 (18-for-160) with RISP. The Mariners have no hits with RISP 12 times in 44 games.

UPCOMING PROBABLES

This has been a nightmarish visit to Lake Erie for the Mariners, who earlier this week briefly moved into second place in the AL West. They lost back-to-back games Friday and Saturday on walk-off hits, and Sunday, despite striking out eight in five innings, Hernandez just didn’t have it.

In his shortest outing of the year, he yielded a double to the first batter he faced, trailed 2-0 at the end of one, and gave up a three-run bomb in the second. That put the kabosh on his start and ended his winning streak at four games, with one no-decision.

The five earned runs allowed by Hernandez marked a season high — in fact, he had allowed just four earned runs total in his past six starts.

Even had Hernandez pitched well, he didn’t receive any run support and wouldn’t have been able to win anyway after yielding the two, first-inning runs. By the time he departed, the Mariners had gotten to Cleveland starter Justin Masterson for just three hits, none for extra bases. The Mariners ended with four while striking out 11 times.

Seattle also left nine men stranded and went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

Masterson worked 7.0 innings and only walked two in improving to 7-2. He threw 108 pitches, 68 for strikes.

Fernandez struggled uncharacteristically in the first when he gave up a leadoff double to Michael Bourn, who scored on Michael Brantley’s single. Brantley then scored on a fielding error by Justin Smoak, Smoak’s first of the season. The Indians subsequently got runners to second and third, but Hernandez escaped further harm by fanning Mark Reynolds.

He wasn’t so lucky in the second when, with two outs, and following singles by Bourn and Jason Kipnis, he surrendered a three-run homer to Brantley, giving Cleveland a 5-0 lead.

The Indians made it 6-0 in the fourth on doubles by Mike Aviles and Kipnis, effectively ending Hernandez’s day. He lasted just 5.0 innings, allowed five earned runs on six hits, struck out eight, walked two and fell to 5-3. His ERA shot up from 1.53 to 2.07.

In the ninth, the Mariners got runners at the corners with two outs, but Brendan Ryan whiffed for the third time, ending the game.

The Mariners had gone 5-0-1 in their last six series (now 5-1-1) after starting the season 0-5-2.

The Mariners close out the four-game series Monday morning with Hisashi Iwakuma (5-1, 1.84) facing Scott Kazmir (2-2, 5.33). The Mariners have now lost three in a row for the third time this season, and another setback Monday in the series finale would be a season high.

The Mariners then fly to Anaheim for a two-game series with the Angels (Tuesday, Wednesday). Following a day off Thursday, Seattle will open a three-game series against the Texas Rangers at Safeco Field Friday.

NOTES: RHP Aaron Harang threw before Sunday’s game and manager Eric Wedge said he believes that everything is on track for Harang to make his next scheduled start, Tuesday in Anaheim. Harang missed his last start with back stiffness . . . When Raul Ibanez and Justin Smoak hit back-to-back, two-out home runs in the ninth inning Saturday against the Indians, it was the first time in club history that had occurred to tie a game in the ninth inning or later . . . Sunday’s 6-0 shutout was Seattle’s the third blanking of the year.

Justin Masterson goes for his seventh win Sunday when the Cleveland Indians host Felix Hernandez and the Mariners in the third of a four-game series. / Wiki Commons

GAME: Mariners (20-23, 3rd, AL West, -8.0 GB) at Indians (24-17, 1st, AL Central, +1.0 GA). GAME #: 44. SERIES: 3rd of 4 games. MEETING: 3rd (Indians lead 2-0). WHEN: Sunday, 10:05 a.m., Progressive Field. STREAKS: Mariners L 2; Indians W 3. TV: Root Sports. RADIO: ESPN 710, Mariners Radio Network

Three walk-off losses in a row would set a Mariners’ franchise record. But unlike Friday and Saturday, when Cleveland stunned Seattle with game-winning hits, such a consummation is likely to be avoided Sunday since Seattle will have Felix Hernandez going against the Indians in the third of four games at Progressive Field. Hernandez is in one of those zones, with four wins in his past five starts.

In those five, Hernandez has allowed three earned runs while recording 36 strikeouts vs. five walks. Hernandez has walked 10 batters all season. He would be seeking his sixth consecutive victory if the Seattle bullpen hadn’t botched his chance to beat New York May 14 in Yankee Stadium.

Although the Mariners (20-23) have lost two in a row, they have won 12 of their past 19 and are 2-3 on the nine-game road trip. Sunday, they’ll face Justin Masterson, who has already notched six wins for the AL Central leaders.

SUNDAY’S PROBABLES

MARINERS: RHP Felix Hernandez (5-2, 1.53 ERA, 0.92 WHIP)

The 27-year-old Hernandez, in his ninth major league season, all with the Mariners, will make his 10th start and first against the Indians. Off to the best start of his career, Hernandez has won his past four decisions and would have made it five earlier in the week against the Yankees if the Seattle bullpen held a 3-1 lead. Hernandez has pitched into the seventh inning seven times.

• LAST START: May 14 at New York, took a no-decision in a 4-3 loss to the Yankees; 1 run on 5 hits in 6.0 innings; 8 strikeouts, 1 walk, 0 home runs, 97 pitches, 61 for strikes.

• LAST VS. INDIANS: Aug. 21, 2012, won 5-1; 1 run on 7 hits in 7.2 innings; 5 strikeouts, 1 walk, 0 home runs, 105 pitches, 70 for strikes.

• CAREER VS. INDIANS: 6-4, 2.90 ERA in 13 starts covering 83.2 innings; 86 strikeouts, 29 walks, 7 home runs, 1.32 WHIP.

• AT PROGRESSIVE FIELD: 3-4, 4.02 ERA in 8 starts covering 47.0 innings; 50 strikeouts, 24 walks, 5 home runs, 1.66 WHIP.

• LOVES TO FACE: Ryan Raburn (0-for-6, .000), Asdrubal Cabrera (3-for-17, .176), Nick Swisher (10-for-48, .208).

• HATES TO FACE: Mike Aviles (6-for-14, .429), Jason Giambi (4-for-11, .364), Michael Brantley (6-for-17, .353).

• CURRENT INDIANS VS. HERNANDEZ: 43-for-154, .279 BA, 32 strikeouts, 13 walks, 5 home runs, .337 on-base percentage.

INDIANS: RHP Justin Masterson (6-2, 3.14 ERA, 1.17 WHIP)

The 28-year-old Masterson, in his sixth major league season, five with Cleveland, will make his 10th start and first against the Mariners. Masterson has won three of his past four decisions, including the last two. The Kingston, Jamaica, native has already thrown two shutouts, 1-0 against the White Sox April 12 and 1-0 against the Yankees in his last outing May 13.

• LAST START: May 13, defeated the Yankees 1-0; 0 runs on 4 hits in 9.0 innings; 9 strikeouts, 3 walks, 0 home runs, 118 pitches, 79 for strikes.

• LAST VS. MARINERS: April 17, 2012, took a no-decision in Cleveland’s 9-8 win; 8 earned runs on 7 hits in 3.2 innings; 1 strikeout, 4 walks, 1 home run, 71 pitches, 39 for strikes.

• CAREER VS. MARINERS: 3-0, 3.67 ERA in 9 games, including 6 starts, covering 41.2 innings; 36 strikeouts, 16 walks, 2 home runs, 1.20 WHIP.

• AT PROGRESSIVE FIELD: 17-20, 3.25 ERA in 63 games, including 58 starts, covering 392.2 innings; 315 strikeouts, 135 walks, 21 home runs, 1.25 WHIP.

• LOVES TO FACE: Dustin Ackley (0-for-6, .000), Raul Ibanez (1-for-11, .091, Kendrys Morales (1-for-11, .091), Endy Chavez (1-for-8, .125).

• HATES TO FACE: Kyle Seager (4-for-6, .667), Justin Smoak (4-for-7, .571).

• CURRENT MARINERS VS. MASTERSON: 15-for-88, .170 BA, 19 strikeouts, 10 walks, 0 home runs, .260 on-base percentage.

MARINERS STATS / NOTES

• CURRENT ROAD TRIP: Three at New York (Tuesday-Thursday), four at Cleveland (Friday-Monday), two at L.A. Angels (May 21-22). The Mariners return to Safeco Field May 24 to begin a three-game series with the Texas Rangers.
• The Raul Ibanez-Justin Smoak back-to-back home runs in the ninth inning Saturday were the first by a Seattle duo since Ibanez and Michael Morse hit consecutive homers against Houston April 9.
• Brendan Ryan’s home run in the eighth inning Saturday was his first of the season and also his first extra-base hit.
• Manager Eric Wedge said that when OF Franklin Gutierrez, on a rehab assignment, is ready to rejoin the club he will likely see considerable time in right field.
• Danny Farquhar, just up from AAA Tacoma, made his debut with Seattle Saturday and recorded five strikeouts in 2.2 innings.
• In the Mariners’ 20 victories, they are batting .298 (48-for-161) with runners in scoring position. In 23 losses, the Mariners are batting .116 (18-for-155) with RISP. The Mariners have no hits with RISP 11 times in 43 games.

UPCOMING PROBABLES

FC Dallas (7-2-3) came into the match with an MLS-leading nine-game undefeated streak, and still owns a five-point lead over Portland. Seattle (4-3-3) jumped from eighth into a sixth-place tie with San Jose with the win.

Following a 4-0 win over San Jose, the Sounders’ newly proficient offense has eight goals in the last two matches. It took the Sounders eight matches to reach that total at the start of the season.

“Right now we’re starting to find our rhythm,” said Eddie Johnson, who scored twice. “We couldn’t have asked for a better team, who’s been hot all year, to come here and really challenge us as a team and see where we are.

“Tonight we showed our true character. Even going up 2-0, then conceding two goals, we really put them on our terms from start to finish, and when we got our chances in the second half, we put them away.”

Johnson, called up this week to play for the U.S. in World Cup qualifiers in June, scored in the 15th minute after FC Dallas goalie Raul Fernandez sent a goal kick to midfield, where Seattle midfielder Osvaldo Alonso headed it back toward the Dallas goal. Johnson outran two defenders sent the right-footer home inside the far post.

Midfielder Lamar Neagle put the Sounders up 2-0 in the 30th minute after he slipped behind the Dallas defense, juked Fernandez to the ground, and tapped the ball in with his left foot. Neagle started for the second consecutive game after scoring twice against San Jose the past Saturday.

Minutes before Neagle’s third goal in two games, Alonso pulled up lame with an injury that coach Sigi Schmid after the game termed a strained adductor muscle.

Both teams failed to capitalize on promising scoring opportunities late in the first half.  But Dallas took advantage early in the second half. In the 54th, forward Michel sent a deep free kick into the box. Seattle’s defense left Kenny Cooper wide open inside the penalty box to head in his third goal of the season.

Seattle’s lead vanished six minutes later. Michel wrapped a perfectly placed corner kick over the head of goalie Michael Gspurning and inside the far post.

But Johnson and the Sounders did not let the crowd of 38,979 chew their nails long.

One minute later, Johnson used a pump-fake to get Fernandez to the ground again and gave the Sounders the lead for good from the corner of the penalty area.

Dallas nearly tied the game again a minute later, but defender Djimi Traore threw his body in front of a rocket from the top of the box to preserve the lead. Traore winced in pain after being pegged. Seattle took control after the Traore save.

In the 71st minute Dallas captain Blas Perez was handed a red card after elbowing defender Leo Gonzalez in the face, attempting to head a free ball. The elbow, which was deemed to have been intentional but was heavily challenged by Dallas, cut deep above Gonzalez’s right eye and left his face covered in blood, forcing the defender from the game.

“This is a tough environment for anyone to come into,” said Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman. “If it’s not a game that’s controlled, and there’s a lot of stuff going off the ball and a lot of physical play, I don’t know if that brings the best out of our team. I don’t know that we ever got on track.”

Obafemi Martins put the game away with Seattle’s fourth goal in the 82nd minute. Johnson’s hat trick attempt was blocked but midfielder Brad Evans corralled the rebound and found the wide-open Martins, who finished the play.

Seattle continues MLS play next Sunday at the Los Angeles Galaxy on national television (ESPN2).

Oxbow thwarted any chance Kentucky Derby winner Orb had of becoming the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978, and vindicated himself for his performance in the Derby, in which he made a move for the lead in the final turn, but faded.

Oxbow covered the 1 3/16th miles in 1:57.54. He went off as a 15-1 underdog and paid $32.80, $12 and $8.80.

For Stevens, a Boise native who smashed Longacres riding records in 1983-84 before relocating to the more lucrative Santa Anita, Hollywood Park and Del Mar venues, it was his third victory in the Preakness, his ninth in a Triple Crown race, and his first since the 2001 Belmont Stakes aboard Point Given. He is the oldest jockey to win the second leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown.

“It’s so special,” Stevens told The Associated Press. “Wayne, he supported me. Put me on my first Triple Crown winner (Winning Colors, 1988). A lot of people were trying to get me off. He was the first guy to call me up and said ‘I’m going to have a colt for you. His name is Oxbow.’”

Stevens added, “Wayne is like a brother, coach, a father figure to me.”

Stevens said he almost couldn’t believe how well it went.

“We came in here with a lot of confidence,” he said. “When I hit the half-mile pole, I told myself,  ‘Are you kidding me?’ Is this happening?’”

Stevens won his first Triple Crown race, the Kentucky Derby, for Lukas aboard the filly Winning Colors in 1988. He then won the 1995 Derby and 1995 Belmont on Thunder Gulch, the 1997 Derby and Preakness aboard Silver Charm, the 1998 Belmont aboard Victory Gallop and 2001 Preakness aboard Point Given.

In addition to his nine Triple Crown wins, Stevens also won eight Breeders’ Cup races, the Santa Anita Derby 10 times, the Santa Anita Handicap four times, and the Arlington Million twice.

With Saturday’s victory aboard Oxbow, Stevens has ridden 4,888 winners and collected $221 million in purses.

He won the George Woolf Memorial Jockey award in 1996, an Eclipse award in 1998 and the Mike Venezia Memorial award for “extraordinary ability and citizenship” in 1999. Stevens also had a significant role in the 2003 movie Seabiscuit, playing the part of famed jockey George Woolf, opposite Toby McGuire. He was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award for his performance.

Due to knees that had undergone a dozen surgeries, Stevens announced his first retirement in 2005. He had several comebacks and re-retirements after that, working mainly as a racing commentator when he wasn’t piloting thoroughbreds.

After losing 25 pounds and eight percent of his body fat during training late last year under the supervision of Bellevue-based personal trainer Clark Masterson, Stevens began his latest comeback in January and on May 12 rode his first winner at Santa Anita. He registered his first graded win in the San Marcos Stakes aboard the filly Branding.

“Now,” Stevens said Saturday, “it’s on to the Belmont.”