Mariners pick up pace at plate, in pen

SEATTLE – The offense that was so often missing on the Mariners’ 2-5 road trip returned Friday night, and the bullpen that has been so shaky minus its closer got the job done as well.

As a result, the Mariners started their five-game homestand with an 8-5 win against A.L. West rival Los Angeles.

As much as the Mariners wanted a victory against the team thought to be their main competition in the division, they also simply needed a win to take some of the sting out of their East Coast trip.

“We needed this win,” said Mariners manager John McLaren. “We really did. … The first game back off the road trip, and really not a good road trip. We needed this for us.”

This win wasn’t easy, and it certainly wasn’t pretty at times.

Unlike many of the Mariners’ losses this month, this game featured a short-handed bullpen holding on in a close game, though not without making the 28,915 at Safeco Field sweat on a chilly April evening.

Unlike many of the recent games, this one featured the Mariners manufacturing some runs without relying on the long ball. Prior to Friday’s game, the Mariners had scored 19 of their last 31 runs via the home run. On Friday, the Mariners scored six of their eight runs without going deep.

Despite having his worst outing in three starts, Felix Hernandez earned his first win of the season. Hernandez was brilliant in his first two starts, allowing no earned runs over 15 innings, but didn’t get a decision either time.

The young man known as “King Felix” looked mortal, allowing four runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings, but his team’s late offensive outburst helped him earn a win.

“Felix did a nice job, he battled,” said McLaren. “He’s improving each time out. He’s going to be the elite of the elite at some point.”

Raul Ibanez provided the early offense and the rest of his teammates eventually joined in. Through six innings the Mariners’ only two hits off Angels starter Jered Weaver were a pair of solo home runs by Ibanez.

After falling behind in the top of the sixth, the Mariners bounced back with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Richie Sexson drew a bases-loaded walk for the first run, then Brad Wilkerson came through with a two-run single that put the Mariners ahead for good.

Vladimir Guerrero, who had struck out in his first three at bats, chased Hernandez from the game with an RBI single in the seventh, but the Mariners again had an answer in the bottom of the inning in the form of an RBI double by Ibanez, who finished 3 for 4 with a walk.

Kenji Johjima, who has been struggling at the plate, added an RBI double in the eighth and Yunieski Betancourt followed with an RBI triple to give the Mariners a three-run lead heading into the final inning.

Those runs gave Mark Lowe some breathing room to earn his first major league save.

“There’s just something about the ninth inning, it’s just different,” said Lowe. “It’s the biggest rush you can have.”