Steve Johnson on his return to Baltimore (O's lose 10-0)

Steve Johnson felt right at home today as he walked toward the home clubhouse at Camden Yards, and in a strange land as he passed it.

Johnson is here with the Mariners, who signed him in March, three days after the Rangers released him, and purchased his contract from Triple-A Tacoma on May 3.

"It's awesome to be here, but definitely on the other side is a little odd for me," said Johnson, the Baltimore native and St. Paul's graduate who spent parts of three seasons with the Orioles.

"Just walking in and having to pass the home clubhouse and wondering, 'Should I peek in or not?' But no, I'll see all those guys in a little bit. It's definitely different and I'm just glad to be here."

Johnson has made four appearances with the Mariners and allowed one run in five innings, with four walks and four strikeouts.

"It's been good," he said. "I haven't pitched too much, but when I throw strikes I know I'm able to still get guys out. I've been able to do that for the most part. But whenever I'm able to get in there, just attack as usual. It's been good so far."

The Mariners have held previous interest in Johnson and finally got him. It seems like a good fit.

"Just a whirlwind spring training that I had. Different organization and then getting released and they were one of the first people that called," Johnson said. "Then when I got there, they were just interested in making me pitch the way I know that I can. They said, 'Do what you do.' And they've been pretty good with that."

Johnson took full advantage of his return home by feasting on crabs last night at Costas Inn in Dundalk with his father, former Orioles pitcher and current MASN analyst Dave Johnson.

"Oh yeah, two dozen," he said, smiling. "They were pretty good. Crushed them and went home and slept in my bed, which was nice."

The three-game series also allowed catcher Steve Clevenger, the Pride of Pigtown, to visit old friends after the Orioles traded him to the Mariners for outfielder Mark Trumbo and left-handed reliever C.J. Riefenhauser. Clevenger, who's 6-for-32 with a home run, isn't in tonight's lineup. Riefenhauser has a 5.23 ERA in 12 games with Triple-A Iowa, the Cubs' top affiliate.

You know how Trumbo's fared - the .307/.362/.593 slash line, five doubles, 11 home runs and 28 RBIs in 36 games.

Trumbo said tonight's game doesn't hold special meaning to him.

"Not beyond just obviously trying to win some games," he said. "I had a pleasurable experience there and a lot of really good guys. It's obviously a quality team that's playing well, so I think it should be a good series."

(Unfortunately, Clevenger wasn't at his locker during my brief time inside the visiting clubhouse, so I'll try again on Wednesday)

Looking at the Trumbo/Clevenger swap, manager Buck Showalter said he doubted that the players were geared toward revenge.

"I don't think there's some vindictiveness about it, where I'm going to show them," Showalter said. "You can't take it personal. If you get a good player back, you want the player you give them to do well. I want them to like doing business with you. If you're always trying to fleece somebody. And there's not many secrets anymore. Everybody's scouting everything between video and everything, so most of the time the trades work out for both teams to some extent.

"I'm sure it's an expensive trip for Steve. They have to pay for those tickets. People call and ask you to leave tickets, they're not free. The players pay for all of those nowadays. But that's OK. Stevie's doing well there. It's a good spot for him. He got the opportunity he deserved."

Another former Oriole, Nelson Cruz, produced a two-run single off Ubaldo Jimenez in the top of the first inning to give Seattle an early lead. Cruz was 0-for-12 with nine strikeouts lifetime against Jimenez, who make an errant pickoff throw and unleashed a wild pitch to move Cruz to third.

Jimenez received a visit from acting pitching coach Scott McGregor and proceeded to strike out Adam Lind and Chris Iannetta, leaving his pitch count at 34. In one inning. Not a good pace.

The inning started with Jimenez getting a called third strike on Nori Aoki, walking Seth Smith and giving up a double to Robinson Cano, who's now 7-for-12 lifetime against the veteran right-hander.

Update: The Mariners scored five runs in the top of the fifth, the last three on Kyle Seager's home run off Brian Matusz on an 0-2 pitch.

Jimenez is charged with six of the runs in 4 1/3 inning. He had retired 12 of 13 before four consecutive batters reached against him.

Cano and Cruz had RBI singles.

Wade Miley held the Orioles hitless until Matt Wieters' leadoff single in the fifth.

Update II: It's gone from bad to hideous

Cano had an RBI double off Matusz in the sixth and Cruz followed with a two-run homer, giving him five RBIs and the Mariners a 10-0 lead.

Matusz's ERA is 12.00 in six innings since coming off the disabled list.

Update III: Johnson registered the last three outs in the ninth, striking out Trumbo, and the Orioles lost 10-0 for their third shutout this season.

Vance Worley tossed three scoreless innings, but the Orioles fell to 23-14. They were held to two hits.