Hernandez helps M’s continue torrid ways
PHOENIX – Felix Hernandez pitched seven strong innings and Jeremy Reed homered to help the Seattle Mariners beat the slumping Arizona Diamondbacks 10-3 on Wednesday night.
Kenji Johjima’s sixth-inning run-scoring single broke a 2-2 tie and lifted the Mariners to their fourth straight win and ninth in 11 games.
Shawn Green doubled and had two RBIs for the Diamondbacks, who have lost 19 of their last 22.
With the score 2-2 in the sixth, Jose Lopez doubled to the warning track in left off Edgar Gonzalez (0-2) and went to third on a grounder by Raul Ibanez. After Gonzalez struck out Richie Sexson on three straight pitches, Johjima lined a single to right, scoring Lopez for a 3-2 lead.
The Mariners put the game out of reach with three runs in the eighth. Adrian Beltre and Lopez hit consecutive triples and Ibanez singled to make it 5-2. After a walk to Johjima, Reed singled home Ibanez for a 6-2 lead.
Lopez finished 3 for 5 with three runs scored.
Green cut it to 6-3 with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Hernandez (8-7) held the Diamondbacks to two runs and seven hits while walking one and striking out four for his fifth win in six starts.
Seattle had taken a 1-0 lead in the third when Yuniesky Betancourt singled and scored on Beltre’s bloop double to right. The Diamondbacks answered in the fourth, tying the game when Luis Gonzalez was hit by a pitch and scored on Green’s double.
Green moved to third on Johnny Estrada’s fly ball to center and scored on Orlando Hudson’s grounder to third for a 2-1 Arizona lead. Beltre scooped the ball halfway down the line and looked home briefly before throwing to first for the sure out.
The Diamondbacks’ lead lasted two pitches into the fifth when Reed homered into the pool area in right-center field, clearing the fence by inches.
Edgar Gonzalez allowed three runs and eight hits over seven innings in his second start of the season. He walked one and struck out four.
Sexson hit a three-run double and scored on Johjima’s single in the ninth to make it 10-3.
Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki went 2 for 4 and has hit safely in 25 of his last 26 games.