This was about as close to 2012 as it gets for Felix Hernandez and David Price.
The dueling 32-year-olds were at their best in front of a packed crowd on Thursday at Safeco Field in the first meeting of the season between the Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox. Both equipped with Cy Young awards, both pitching seven innings.
There was a succinct different between this night and 2012. Both were pitching for first-place teams in their respective American League division. For Hernandez, that was a few miles per hour on his fastball ago and for Price that was four teams ago.