Ichiro Suzuki, Justin Smoak Struggle for Seattle Mariners, End of Lineup Shines

The Seattle Mariners knocked off the Minnesota Twins 3-0 on Wednesday in the rubber match of the three-game series.

It was their seventh win in eight games and they won it the exact same way they have the other six—with pitching and timely hitting. 

Erik Bedard pitched six semi-efficient scoreless innings and the offense—behind Franklin Gutierrez's first home run—came up with enough hits to win the game. 

Ichiro Suzuki, Chone Figgins and Justin Smoak went hitless in what has become an all too common theme during this recent hot streak.

The top of the lineup simply isn't producing.

Over the last eight games, the first three batters in Seattle's lineup have hit .162 with zero homers, four RBI and seven runs scored. Ichiro, Figgins and Smoak have hit in those spots every game, and all are marred in ugly slumps.

Normally, when the top of your lineup is producing as little as this one is, you'll find yourself in the midst of a losing streak, not a winning one.

But the pitching and bottom of the order hitting is currently keeping this team afloat.

After Wednesday's start, Erik Bedard lowered his ERA to below four for the first time all season. Additionally, Bedard's ERA over his last five starts is a minuscule 1.97. His performances as of late have been in line with the rest of the pitching staff.

Now, remember that less-than-ideal line that the beginning of the lineup is producing? Well, it's safe to say the rest of the hitters are picking up the slack.

Over the last eight, hitters four through six have hit .316 with four home runs, 14 RBI and 18 runs. The seven through nine hitters have hit an equally impressive .317 with zero home runs, 13 RBI and seven runs.

The seven runs are low, but remember how poorly the guys after them are hitting.

Guys like Miguel Olivo, Carlos Peguero and Brendan Ryan have begun to come through with extremely timely hitting. In fact, Brendan Ryan has raised his average to .260, 50 points greater than what it was eight games ago.

There's two ways to interpret the recent production—or lack thereof—from the Mariners. 

First, you could assume that the top of the lineup will soon break out of this funk, and if the bottom of the lineup continues its recent success, then suddenly Seattle has a good enough lineup to go along with its dominant pitching staff.

Second, you could look and see how terrible Seattle's one-two-three hitters are producing and freak out. You could assume that Ichiro is finally hitting that late-age wall, realize that Chone Figgins doesn't belong anywhere near the two-spot and see that Justin Smoak is suddenly hitting under .270.

Scenario No. 1 certainly seems a little more logical. 

If the beginning of this lineup doesn't break out of their current slump soon, the Mariners might be just as close to their next losing streak as they are their next winning streak.

If the likes of Ichiro, Figgins and Smoak start getting on base like they were at the beginning of the year (minus Figgins), however, and the rest team keeps up their current pace, then Jack Zduriencik suddenly has a playoff contender on his hands.