It was their worst inning of the season, filled with uncharacteristic mistakes on defense and poorly located pitches from their best starting pitcher.

For the second time in his last three starts, Felix Hernandez pitched at least seven innings while allowing just one run while giving his team a chance at a win. In what has been a frustrating season for the Mariners’ longtime ace, that’s progress and it’s need for the Mariners going forward.

Mariners starter Marco Gonzales pitched at less than Cy Young level for the first time in more than a month, the Mariners had a costly miscue in right-center field, they twice wasted great scoring opportunities and the bullpen took its lumps.

Mitch Haniger and Ryon Healy each homered twice as the first-place Seattle Mariners shook off two homers by Mike Trout for the second consecutive night, beating the Los Angeles Angels 6-3 on Tuesday.

Nelson Cruz homered twice and the surprising Seattle Mariners overcame Mike Trout’s two home runs to beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-3 on Monday night.

Right fielder Mitch Haniger threw out Johnny Field at the plate to end the game, and the Seattle Mariners held off the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 Sunday for their 17th win in 22 games.

What’s so special about today? Well, we’re a third of the way through the month of June, which usually means the Mariners are immaterial to any discussion about postseason baseball. But this June 10, it all seems different. The Mariners are in the playoff hunt. Heck, they’re in the American League West title race. In fact, despite Saturday’s 7-3 loss at Tampa Bay, they still lead the division with a 40-24 record

After a strong start in his previous outing against the Tampa Bay Rays in Seattle, Felix Hernandez’s season-long struggles returned five days later at Tropicana Field in a 7-3 loss on Saturday.

Marco Gonzales won his fourth straight start and the surging Seattle Mariners beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 for their 16th win in 20 games. Gonzales pitched into the eighth inning, leaving the game after taking a throw at first base too late to retire a sliding Mallex Smith.

Mike Leake pitched into the ninth inning, Mitch Haniger homered and drove in three runs, and the A.L. West-leading Seattle Mariners beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 on Thursday night.

They weren’t strikes. They weren’t even particularly good pitches for a hitter to swing at in search of success.