Scoring changes puts Hernandez back in ERA hunt

SEATTLE –  A scoring change announced Saturday by Major League Baseball provides Mariners ace Felix Hernandez with a renewed opportunity to win the American League ERA crown.

The change stripped four earned runs away from Hernandez’s line in last Tuesday’s 10-2 loss at Toronto. The net effect was to lower his ERA from 2.34 to 2.18 heading into today’s start against the Angels.

Chicago lefty Chris Sale, who isn’t scheduled to pitch again, is the A.L.’s current ERA leader at 2.17.

The scoring change, which resulted from an appeal filed by the Mariners, concerned a play in the Blue Jays’ seven-run fifth inning when Hernandez fumbled and dropped an attempted sacrifice bunt by Josh Thole.

Toronto scorer Herb Morell had scored the play as a single. The Blue Jays went on to score seven runs in the inning – all earned and charged to Hernandez.

Peterson to first?

While D.J. Peterson, the club’s top non-pitching prospect, prefers to remain at third base, he has no problem in shifting to first base – if that’s what the Mariners prefer.

“I played a lot of first base in college,” he said. “It’s a position that I’m acquainted with. I’m very used to it. It wouldn’t be too much of an adjustment.

Peterson was the Mariners’ first-round pick in 2013. He batted a combined .297 this season with 31 homers and 111 RBIs in 123 games at Hi-A High Desert and Double-A Jackson.

48 and counting

All-Star closer Fernando Rodney matched a career high when he got his 48th save in Friday’s 4-3 victory over the Angels. He also had 48 in 2012 at Tampa Bay.

Rodney also became the sixth pitcher in history to record 48 or more saves in two seasons. No pitcher has ever done it three times.

The others with two years of 48 or more: Dennis Eckersley, Rod Beck, Mariano Rivera, Eric Gagne and Jim Johnson.

Rodney’s 133 saves over the last three seasons are the most in the American League and trail only Atlanta’s Craig Kimbrel (137) among all pitchers.