SEATTLE - Mariners starter Carlos Silva went from cruising to suddenly out of Wednesday night's game against the Baltimore Orioles in the seventh inning with tightness in the back of his right thigh.

But he vows he will stay on turn in the rotation next week at Cleveland.

"I will make my next start," Silva said, emphatically, after Seattle's 3-2 loss to Baltimore.

With the score tied at 2, Silva walked Aubrey Huff to begin the seventh. After a called strike to Adam Jones, Silva looked into the Mariners' dugout. Trainer Rick Griffin came to the mound and chatted with the burly right-hander for a moment. Manager John McLaren then came out, talked to his new No. 3 starter briefly, then shook his head as if to say "no more" before signaling to the bullpen for reliever Sean Green, who hadn't been warming up.

Silva went into the dugout and was on the bench briefly, explaining pain in his leg to trainers that he felt as he turned. He then departed for the clubhouse, ending his quest to become the first starter to begin his Seattle career 4-0 since Jeff Fassero in 1997.

"What I am hearing is that it's not very serious. 'Put ice on it,"' McLaren said. "We just felt it was better not to take a chance on him having to drive off on it.

"We'll see how he is (Thursday), but I'm hearing good things from the training room."

Seattle needs some good news. The Mariners signed Silva in free agency last winter for $48 million. He's been the most effective member of a remade staff, going 3-0 with a 2.83 ERA in five starts through Wednesday's sudden departure.

Silva was cruising into the sixth with a 2-0 lead having allowed just four hits when Brian Roberts led off with a single and Melvin Mora tripled. Nick Markakis then had an RBI groundout that tied the game.

During that inning, Silva began feeling pain on the outside of his thigh. McLaren believed it was from him catching his spikes on the dirt of the pitcher's mound while pivoting for a pickoff throw.

Silva allowed six hits and two runs, struck out four and walked two in six-plus innings. It was the first time this season he hadn't lasted at least seven innings.

"I wanted to stay in, but like the manager said, there is no reason to stay in and maybe get hurt," Silva said. "In the seventh, it was more mental than it actually hurting. I was thinking more about not getting hurt."