Mariners reel in Marlins
SEATTLE – Felix Hernandez finally gave up an earned run. That was about the only thing the Seattle Mariners’ ace allowed the Florida Marlins.
Hernandez was overpowering for the first five innings, then scrambled to hold his lead, and the Mariners snapped an eight-game home losing streak with a 5-4 win over the Marlins on Tuesday night.
Hernandez’s final pitching line was fairly ordinary. He allowed three earned runs and six hits over 71/3 innings, striking out nine. But Seattle’s young right-hander was at his finest for five innings of dominating pitching.
Between Dan Uggla’s 20th homer of the season with one-out in the second and Matt Treanor’s bloop single leading off the sixth, Hernandez retired 11 straight, seven by strike out. He struck out six consecutive batters at one point, including the side in the fourth on the minimum nine pitches. Hernandez is the 13th pitcher in American League history to strike out three batters in an inning on just nine pitches.
During one stretch, Hernandez threw 29 of 30 pitches for strikes.
Uggla’s homer snapped a stretch of 22 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run for Hernandez. Despite the late-inning struggles, Hernandez (6-5) won his fourth straight and has earned the victory in four of Seattle’s five total wins since May 31.
Hernandez left with one out in the eighth after allowing his only walk of the night. Sean Green and Arthur Rhodes got the final two outs of the inning on strikeouts and Brandon Morrow, filling in for injured closer J.J. Putz, pitched the ninth for his second save.
Hernandez was given an early lead by the Mariners’ offense, a rarity all season. Raul Ibanez had three hits, including an RBI single in the first, and Jose Lopez lined a pair of RBI doubles into the left-field corner as the Mariners staked Hernandez to a 5-1 advantage before Florida rallied.
When Lopez drove home Willie Bloomquist in the fourth to give Seattle a 4-1 lead, it was the Mariners first lead of more than two runs since June 6.
Marlins starter Scott Olsen (4-3) didn’t make it out of the fifth, giving up a season-high 11 hits in just 41/3 innings. He struck out two and lost his third straight decision.
The sixth was an issue for Hernandez, who gave up four straight singles, the last by Jeremy Hermida to drive in a run. Jorge Cantu followed with a sacrifice fly, but Hernandez escaped the jam with consecutive strikeouts of Mike Jacobs and Uggla, both on 3-2 pitches.
Luis Gonzalez led off the seventh with a double, advanced to third when centerfielder Willie Bloomquist bobbled the ball on the warning track, and scored on Treanor’s sacrifice fly.
Sexson may be released
Struggling first baseman Richie Sexson’s time with the Seattle Mariners could end soon.
One day after general manager Bill Bavasi was fired, interim GM Lee Pelekoudas and club executives held meetings throughout the day Tuesday to set the course for the final 31/2 months of the season.
Among the hottest topics: Sexson.
According to one person familiar with moves that are planned, Sexson will be let go, possibly within days. The timing is not set because the team is dealing with other personnel issues that go beyond the procedures for moving Sexson.
There also is the delicate process involved with getting rid of Sexson, who’s making $14 million this season in the final year of a four-year, $50 million contract.
Everett Herald