Felix Hernandez delivered the sort of big-time performance the Mariners desperately needed Friday night by pitching into the eighth inning before the bullpen closed out a 2-1 victory over the Texas Rangers.
This was the new-look King. Just three strikeouts but no walks in an efficient 89-pitch effort over 7 1/3 innings.
Marc Rzepczynski stranded the tying run in the eighth inning before Edwin Diaz, in his first outing since last Sunday’s meltdown at Anaheim, secured the victory with a scoreless ninth inning.
So the Mariners stopped the bleeding, by winning for just the third time in 11 games, but, boy, did it come tough.