Mariners’ shutout drops White Sox three games behind Guardians in AL Central

SEATTLE — Johnny Cueto did what he could.

It just wasn’t enough against Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert, and the White Sox fell back to three games behind the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Central standings after a 3-0 loss Tuesday night.

Gilbert (12-5, 3.23 ERA) was a handful, striking out nine and walking one over six innings of five-hit ball as Seattle (77-59) evened the three-game series which concludes Wednesday afternoon.

Cueto was right there battling Gilbert, allowing one run over six-plus innings, his team-high 16th start of six or more innings. Cueto lowered his ERA to 2.87, allowing five hits, three walks and striking out three. It was a 1-0 game until Cal Raleigh’s two-run homer in the eighth against Reynaldo Lopez with two outs.

“It was a good duel,” Cueto said. “He is a young pitcher with a lot of talent. He pitched a very good game. I think I really pitched a good game, too.”

The Sox (68-68) were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base.

The Mariners got their run in the fourth when Ty France led off with a double, took third on Mitch Haniger’s fly ball and was awarded home when right fielder Gavin Sheets’ throw to third got past third baseman Yoan Moncada and went beyond Cueto’s reach backing up and out of play off a TV camera.

Moncada tried to make a swipe tag but probably had no play and haphazardly let the ball get by him.

“It happens you know?” Cairo said. “He was just trying to catch the ball and the ball just went through his glove. Stayed down.”

Matt Brash, Andres Munoz and Paul Sewald finished up with scoreless relief as the Mariners (77-59) won after having a seven-game winning streak snapped Monday. The Sox lost for the second time in seven games.

“We’re playing very good baseball and hopefully tomorrow we come back and do it again,” Cueto said. “The team [has] high energy right now and at a good moment.”

Luis Robert was struck by a pitch from Gilbert on his left hand during his first at-bat and left the game after his second at-bat. X-rays were negative, Robert has a bruise on his pinky finger, and he’s day-to-day.

Robert has been dealing with a sore left wrist which, along with a brief paternity leave, kept him out of the lineup for two weeks.

He was replaced by Adam Engel, who led off the seventh against Brash with a single but was promptly caught stealing for the first out. Cairo said catcher Yasmani Grandal missed a hit-and-run sign. Grandal was 0-for-3 with a walk and was charged with his eighth passed ball of the season.

Moncada had two singles in his first two at-bats after coming off the injured list.

José Abreu doubled with one out in the sixth, and took third on Eloy Jiménez’s single. But Gilbert struck out Gavin Sheets and A.J. Pollock on elevated fastballs.

Pollock, who had his eight-game hitting streak snapped, also struck out with two runners on in the eighth against Muñoz.