Hernandez falls short, M’s lose in extras
SEATTLE – A dozen days ago, Felix Hernandez took a loss in Texas, in his worst start of the year by far.
Well, the kid went out and showed the Texas Rangers the real Hernandez on Tuesday night as he held their big offense to five hits and two runs in nine innings.
It was only one run for 8 2/3 innings, until Kevin Mench lined a game-tying single off a 1-1 pitch in the top of the ninth, so Hernandez got a no decision for his good work.
Handing the Mariners their 90th loss of the year, Texas went on to win 3-2 in the 11th when Esteban German, who scored the tying run as a pinch runner, doubled home the deciding run on his first at-bat of the season.
Seattle had a shot to avenge the Texas tie in the home 11th when Jose Lopez doubled with one out, a career-high fourth hit, and Yuniesky Betancourt singled. But Francisco Cordero fanned Shin Soo Choo and Ichiro, walked intentionally three times previously, grounded out.
Back in the bottom of the ninth, Seattle had a chance to rescue a win for Hernandez when Lopez singled and with two away, Ichiro was issued his third intentional walk of the night to load the bases. But lefty Brian Shouse fanned Jeremy Reed.
At first, it appeared the Rangers were out to reprise their earlier game against Hernandez, when they took a 1-0 lead in the first. Gary Matthews Jr. led off with a ground single up the middle and Michael Young blooped a double inside the right-field line. Mark Teixeira got the run home with a ground out to second, his 139th RBI of the year.
Beyond that, Hernandez was at his best. He gave up a one-out walk to Matthews in the third, then picked him off, before Young singled, his 217th hit of the year, a Texas franchise record.
Hernandez hit Hank Blalock to open the fourth and there was some concern right after that, when he seemed to have a problem after his lead left foot slipped on the first pitch to Alfonso Soriano.
Pitching coach Bryan Price and trainer Tom Newberg went out to the mound, but Hernandez showed he was fine by hitting 97 mph on his next pitch, before getting Soriano to fan on a slider.
Settled down neatly after the game-opening sputter, all Hernandez needed was run support.
After wasting Yuniesky Betancourt’s leadoff double in the third, Seattle made use of Jeremy Reed’s leadoff ground-rule double to tie the score at 1 in the fourth. Raul Ibanez smoked an opposite-field liner to left that spun past Jason Botts, scored an error that let Reed roam home.
Seattle used a third consecutive inning-opening hit, Jose Lopez’s single to center, to take a 2-1 lead in the fifth. With first base open and one out, Ichiro was walked intentionally and the move nearly worked for Texas as Reed grounded a possible double-play ball to the left of second baseman Soriano.
But Soriano had trouble handling the ball, got only a late force out and with the inning left open, Lopez scored to give the Mariners their first lead.
Both managers came out to talk with umpires in the late innings. Mike Hargrove questioned a call in the seventh on which Lopez’s shot to left hit the top of the fence and bounced into play and went for a double.
The Rangers’ Buck Showalter was ejected by first base umpire Tim Timmons for arguing a close call on a play in which Betancourt sprawled to glove a Rod Barajas ball up the middle, juggled it off his chest and threw the runner out from his knees.