New York Yankees 7 – Seattle Mariners 2
The Yankees opened their three-game series with the best the Mariners have to offer, Felix Hernandez.
Taking the mound for the Yankees, former Mariner Michael Pineda, making his first start against Seattle since being traded. The former teammates matched each other zero for zero through the first three innings. Pineda allowed three hits through three innings while Hernandez was simply effective, efficient and…perfect..
For the Yankees, knocking King Felix off his throne began in the fourth inning.
Entering tonight, Felix Hernandez had an ERA of 1.49 in 36 1/3 innings against the Yankees. Leading off the fourth inning, Brett Gardner hit a single to left field, snapping the streak of nine straight retired to open the game. Chase Headley followed with a single of his own, advancing Gardner to third base with no outs. A wild pitch allowed Gardner to score and the Yankees got on the board first. Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira walked to load the bases. A double play by Brian McCann scored the Yankees’ second run of the game but took the air out of the inning. Despite the strong start to the inning, the Yankees settled for just two runs.
Normally, missing the opportunity to break out against an ace such as Felix Hernandez is not something you want to pass up because you could go the rest of the game without another one. Tonight was not one of those nights.
What does not show up in the box score is a little lack of comfort between Felix Hernandez and, coincidentally, the mound at his home ballpark. After a little maintenance of the mound, Hernandez returned in the fifth inning and proceeded to walk Stephen Drew. Ramon Flores gets his second career hit with a single to right field. Brett Gardner walked and the bases were loaded for a second consecutive inning. Chase Headley plated the third run of the game on a sacrifice fly to left field. Alex Rodriguez loaded the bases one more time with a single to left field and the big blow would come.
Entering tonight’s game, Mark Teixeira had five home runs against Felix Hernandez, most for any single player against The King. The sixth home run came with the bases loaded. The grand slam flew to right center field and the 15th home run for Mark Teixeira broke the game wide open to a 7-0 lead. Carlos Beltran hit a two-out double and that cued the end for King Felix.
In 4 2/3 innings, Felix Hernandez allowed seven runs on six hits while walking five and striking out four. Wow.
While Hernandez struggled, Michael Pineda was cruising. After a one-out single in the fourth inning, Big Mike struck out the next four to start a streak of eight in a row retired. He ran into trouble in the seventh inning. The first three batters in the seventh inning reached and nearly hit for the cycle as a team. Kyle Seager started the seventh inning with a single, Seth Smith brought him around to score on a triple to right field and Austin Jackson hit a double to right field. The three hitters plated two runs to end the shutout. A walk of Brad Miller cued the end of the night for Pineda. Justin Wilson prevented the inherited runners from scoring with a strikeout and a double play to wrap up the pitching line for Pineda.
In six innings, Michael Pineda allowed two runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out nine.
Dellin Betances came in for the eighth inning and struck out three. Chasen Shreve got the ninth inning and allowed one baserunner that advanced to second on a difficult error on Didi but it resulted to nothing in a solid win.
Win – Michael Pineda (7-2)
Loss – Felix Hernandez (8-2)
Notables
Yankees
*Mark Teixeira – 1 for 3, R, BB, Grand slam (15) in the 5th, 4 RBI (39)
*Brett Gardner – 1 for 4, 2 R
Mariners
*Seth Smith – 1 for 3, R, 3B, RBI (14)
*Austin Jackson – 2 for 4, 2B, RBI (6)
Current Yankees Record: 27-25
