Seattle Mariners News: Felix Hernandez Loses Again As Mariners Get Swept By Angels
Seattle Mariners news has taken a negative turn over the past few days. On Sunday, May 15, the Seattle Mariners lost to the Los Angeles Angels by the score of 3-0. The Angels completed a three-game sweep of the Mariners at Safeco Field, taking away any momentum that the Mariners had built up over the past month and knocking them right out of first place.
Felix Hernandez made another good start for the Mariners, giving up just one run before being relieved by Nick Vincent in the eighth inning. Vincent allowed two runners to score that Hernandez had put on base before getting out of the inning. The final line for Hernandez over 7 1/3 innings of work was three earned runs, seven hits allowed, and nine strikeouts. Hernandez falls to 3-3 on the season and his ERA nudged up to 2.47 for the season.
Hernandez never really had a chance to win this game, as the Seattle Mariners’ offense disappeared again. The team managed just two hits on the day, making Angels starting pitcher Hector Santiago look like a Cy Young Award candidate in the process. Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz, and Kyle Seager combined to go hitless on the day. The loss drops the Mariners to 21-16 on the season and coupled with another win by the Texas Rangers, bumps the team into second place in the American League West.
There was some good Seattle Mariners news from Sunday, though, as 40,852 fans attended the game at Safeco Field. Through 17 home games, the Mariners have averaged just 26,418 fans per night, so this was a big increase for a Sunday afternoon. The recent success for the team may translate into more fans coming through the gates, but the team has to rebound quickly from this rough series. Blowing two games, leaving too many runners on base in the first two games, and then nearly going hitless in Game 3 won’t inspire confidence.
After a day off on Monday, May 16, the Mariners head east for six games. The first stop is a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles on May 17-19 and then a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds from May 20-22. The Mariners will then finish up the month of May with eight-straight home games, including Bark at the Park on May 24 and Little League Day on May 29. Those promotions could lead to a lot of additional ticket sales if the team can post a good road trip.
Having Monday off will serve as a huge benefit for the Mariners, as the team drained its bullpen against the Los Angeles Angels. It hasn’t helped matters that the Mariners lost Joaquin Benoit, Charlie Furbush, and Tony Zych to the disabled list, but injuries are just part of the game. Wade Miley (3-2, 4.91 ERA) is the starting pitcher on May 17, with Taijuan Walker (2-2, 2.63 ERA) scheduled for May 18, and Nathan Karns (3-1, 3.51 ERA) set to take the mound on May 19. Each of the three starters has had impressive appearances in May and it would help if that trend continued in these road games.
If the starting rotation remains the same, Felix Hernandez will make his next start for the Mariners on Saturday, May 21, against the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds are 15-22 and in last place in the National League Central, possibly giving Hernandez the opportunity to do something special on the mound. It’s also possible that Mariners manager Scott Servais could skip Hisashi Iwakuma after his latest outing, allowing Hernandez to pitch on Friday, May 20 due to the day off on Monday, May 16. No matter who takes the mound, the Seattle Mariners have to provide ample run support to help get more games in the win column.
[Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images]
