It stemmed largely from unhappiness with themselves and their recent spate of unremarkable losses.

Sexson’s helmet throwing charge and tackle on Gabbard and ensuing bench-clearing shoving and shouting match during the fourth inning may have shown that there is a pulse and some fire in this Mariners’ squad. But it did little to reverse their fortunes or jump-start an anemic offense that was held to three hits in a 5-0 loss to the Rangers on Thursday night.

In an otherwise nondescript loss with yet another lack of offense, Sexson provided perhaps the only offensive move of the night, charging the mound after Gabbard sent a fastball eye-level in retaliation for Felix Hernandez hitting Ian Kinsler the inning before after Kinsler homered earlier in the game.

After being hit, Kinsler exchanged words with Hernandez and catcher Kenji Johjima and even made a motion toward the mound before taking first base, while several Rangers players jumped to the top step of the dugout and also offered their opinions.

The whole situation was relatively tense, and most of the Mariners knew that the possibility of a player being hit the ensuing inning was evident.

“Everybody knew what was going,” said Raul Ibañez, who led off the next inning.

Gabbard didn’t hit Ibañez or Adrian Beltre, retiring them both. But with two outs, it was the perfect opportunity to deliver a message pitch with minimal risk. Sexson knew it, too.

“I was well aware of the fact that he was probably going to hit me,” Sexson said. “And I’d go to first, no big deal.”

But Gabbard didn’t hit Sexson. Instead, he delivered a fastball that was up around Sexson’s head level, but not directly at it. That mattered little to Sexson, who sprinted toward the mound, helmet in hand. When he reached the mound, he fired the helmet at Gabbard, hitting him in the back and then tackled him as the benches and bullpens cleared.

“I’ve played a long time,” Sexson said. “I’ve been hit on purpose before and it’s been the right way and I go to first. You understand the game, you know how it works.”

The unwritten rule in baseball is never to throw at someone’s head not matter what the situation, and Sexson is a clear believer in it.

“When you get up by the face, that’s when you start talking about careers, and start talking about family, there’s a lot of stuff you can lose going up around the head,” Sexson said.

It didn’t help that Sexson got a stark realization the day before as he spent it at Children’s Hospital where one of his kids was taken in an emergency situation.

“A lot of things were running through my head right there,” Sexson said. “You’re so (ticked off) you don’t even know what’s happening, it’s a rage.”

The tossing of the helmet could lead to a longer suspension for Sexson, and he was regretful.

“I know throwing the helmet was the wrong thing,” he said. “It was a chicken (expletive) move. I lost it right there, I was thinking about a lot of things.”

The whole melee took longer than usual to break up because Fernandez and his explosive temper would not calm down. He had words with Kinsler and catcher Gerald Laird, who he’d also hit earlier. It took former Mariners closer Eddie Guardado and about six Seattle players to finally control Hernandez, while Laird was literally carried from the fray by teammate Milton Bradley.

“We’re a frustrated ballclub,” Mariners manager John McLaren said.

It stems largely from the fact that Mariners did not score any runs for the second consecutive game and their scoreless inning streak is at 22 innings.

“I’m sure it all came to a head right there,” Sexson said. “It’s not secret we haven’t scored any runs for a while. It’s not secret we haven’t been living up to our potential.”

Indeed, the Mariners managed just the four hits off Gabbard, who left after the fourth with bruised legs, and three relievers.

“This team is a good offensive team,” Ibañez said. “Any moment it could explode.”

Hernandez took the loss for the Mariners, giving up four runs in five innings. He struggled with his command much of the game and was at nearly 80 pitches in three innings.

“That wasn’t Felix tonight,” McLaren said.

Ryan Divish: 253-597-8483

blogs.thenewstribune.com/mariners

Up next for the Mariners

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Today through Sunday at Safeco Field; All games FSN and 1000-AM

Tonight: Silva (3-1, 4.20 ERA) vs. Contreras (2-3, 4.08), 7:10 p.m.

Saturday: Washburn (2-4, 4.81) vs. Vazquez (3-3, 3.30), 7:05 p.m.

Sunday: Batista (2-4, 5.66) vs. Floyd (3-1, 2.50), 1:10 p.m.

Scouting report: The Chicago White Sox lead the American League in home runs and have the fourth-best team ERA (3.75), which sounds like a winning combination. But the White Sox have a below-.500 result (16-17) so far. Offense is the problem. It has been home runs or nothing. The White Sox have a league-high 30 solo homers, including 17 in their past 19 homers. Baserunners have been hard to come by for a team hitting an AL-low .233. The hitters are struggling mightily. Nick Swisher, acquired from the A’s in an offseason trade, is in a 10-for-70 (.143) slide, Joe Crede is in a 5-for-34 slump (.147) and Juan Uribe is battling a 10-for-56 (.179) skid. Exceptions have been Jermaine Dye (homers in three consecutive games) and Carlos Quentin, an offseason acquisition from Arizona who leads the team in homers (8), RBI (24) and on-base percentage (.402).

Player to watch: Pitcher Gavin Floyd. The second year starter has flirted with no-hitters twice this season. He held the Twins hitless for 8 innings Tuesday and held the Tigers hitless for seven innings on April 12. Floyd leads the AL in opponents’ batting average (.149).

Record vs. Mariners: First meeting of the season. The White Sox were 1-7 against Seattle in 2007, including a 0-5 mark at Safeco.

Did you know? The White Sox aren’t so good away from home, going 0-6 on their last trip.

Darrin Beene, The News Tribune