Felix stops M’s slide

SAN DIEGO – Felix Hernandez wasn’t happy to see Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu come out of the dugout in the ninth inning to replace him.

Hernandez came within one out of a complete game and the Mariners held on for a 4-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Sunday, snapping a five-game losing streak.

One day after a players-only meeting that followed a 7-1 loss Saturday night, Hernandez’s gem couldn’t have come at a better time for struggling Seattle.

“We talked about having a tremendous performance by Felix and he went out and did,” Wakamatsu said. “A gutsy performance.”

Hernandez pitched a dominant game to stem the tide of eight losses in nine games for the Mariners. They had dropped five of six on this road trip, getting outscored 44-14.

“It was a must-win,” said Milton Bradley, who hit a two-run home run. “The way we’ve been playing was unacceptable. The way I’ve been playing has been unacceptable. It’s time to do something about it, starting with myself.”

Bradley’s homer tied it in the fourth and Jose Lopez doubled home the go-ahead run in the eighth.

Hernandez (4-5) held the Padres in check other than a two-run, inside-the-park homer by Tony Gwynn in the third inning. The right-hander gave up four hits, tied his season high with nine strikeouts and walked one while throwing a season-high 128 pitches.

“He has turned into one of the true No. 1s on a major league staff,” Padres manager Bud Black said.

While the Mariners were not willing to credit their meeting for Sunday’s performance, Hernandez said it was positive.

“We talked about good things and then we went out there and fought,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez was within one out of his second complete game this season when he was replaced by David Aardsma.

Mariners 4, Padres 2