The baseball gods gifted the Rockies a couple positive omens to open their road series in Seattle on Friday. Neither panned out.

First, would-be Mariners starter Marco Gonzales was scratched, as the former Rocky Mountain star went on the paternity list. That led soft-throwing veteran Tommy Milone to get the spot start instead, and in the opening inning Kris Bryant proceeded to park Milone’s piped 87-mph fastball into the left field seats for his first homer of the year and a 1-0 lead.

From there, however, it was back to the usual programming: A team with a glaring lack of bona fide starting pitching depth, struggling to contend when a pitcher not named Freeland or Marquez is taking the hill.

Southpaw Austin Gomber was tagged for five earned runs over 3 2/3 innings pitched, and the Rockies fell 5-3 to the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Gomber had four walks to two strikeouts, and was inconsistent with his command. Meanwhile, Colorado’s offense mustered only seven hits and sputtered in the final innings.

“(Gomber) was spraying the ball a little bit too much,” manager Bud Black told reporters in Seattle. “He made some pitches when he needed to, and he took a (line drive) off the chest (to end the second inning), which at the moment was a big play. But there were a couple at-bats I’m sure he’d want back.”

After Bryant took Milone deep in the first, the Mariners came back with two runs in the second off Jarred Kelenic’s two-run homer to center. It marked the red-hot Kelenic’s fourth straight game with a homer.

Seattle then chased Gomber in the fourth. Kelenic led off with a double, then Julio Rodriguez doubled Kelenic home, and Ty France followed with the third double of the inning to plate two more runs and make it 5-1.

“He couldn’t wiggle out of the fourth there,” Black said.

Milone’s lone blemish through 4 2/3 innings was Bryant’s homer, as his continually peppered his offspeed down and away, consistently getting the Rockies on their front foot and inducing weak contact. Colorado only had three hits off the journeyman who has pitched for nine different teams.

The Rockies came back with two runs in the sixth off Seattle relievers Trevor Gott and Matt Brash. Yonathon Daza’s infield single off Gott scored one, then Ezequiel Tovar worked a bases-loaded walk off Brash to cut the score to 5-3. Daza is now 8-for-14 in his career with the bases loaded.

But the Colorado bats went quiet from there, even as the bullpen turned in a strong performance. Right-hander Jake Bird got the Rockies out of the jam in the fourth and ended with 2 1/3 scoreless innings featuring five consecutive strikeouts, while right-hander Dinelson Lamet and southpaw Brad Hand each pitched a scoreless inning.

“(Bird) really showed what he’s capable of with all three pitches tonight,” Black said. “That was much-needed and he did his job by stranding a couple runners, two scoreless innings, holding the fort. The bullpen did its job tonight collectively.”

Justin Topa set the Rockies down in order in the seventh, then Colorado couldn’t take advantage of a leadoff man aboard in the eighth. In the ninth, Paul Sewald set the visitors down in order as the Rockies (5-9) dropped their third straight. Colorado is now 0-9 this season when the opposing team homers, while Gomber fell to 0-3.

Pitching Matchup

Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (0-1, 4.75) at Mariners RHP George Kirby (1-0, 4.35)

7:40 p.m. Saturday, T-Mobile Park

TV: ATTRM

Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM

Feltner showed growth from his first start to his second start, as last Sunday against the Nationals, he allowed three runs over five innings. He’s been able to get a strikeout when he needs to on occasion, as demonstrated by his career-high seven Ks in his season debut against the Dodgers. He also got 10 groundball outs in his last start, an encouraging sign for a young pitcher still finding his stuff.

Meanwhile, Kirby was sharp in his last outing, tossing six innings of one-run ball in a win over the Guardians. He’s pounding the strike zone, with only one walk in 10 1/3 innings this year. He’s making his first career start against the Rockies, so unfamiliarity on both sides will be a factor.

Pitching probables

Sunday: Rockies TBA at Mariners RHP Luis Castillo (1-0, 1.02), 7:40, ATTRM

Monday: Pirates LHP Rich Hill (0-2, 7.20) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (2-0, 0.96), 6:40, ATTRM

Tuesday: Pirates RHP Vince Velasquez (1-2, 5.40) at Rockies RHP Jose Urena (0-2, 9.90), 6:40, ATTRM