Hernandez overcomes shaky start, Mariners top Pirates 7-4

Published 7:20 pm Tuesday, July 26, 2016

PITTSBURGH — Felix is back, but the King is still a ways away. The bartender is back and better than ever. And Edwin Diaz proved he also possesses escapability skills.

The Seattle Mariners rallied back from a pair of three-run deficits Tuesday night for a 7-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates behind an 11-hit attack that included homers from Franklin Gutierrez and Kyle Seager.

There was plenty of noise from the lineup. Every starter except Hernandez had at least one hit, but the drama centered the on the pitching staff.

Hernandez (5-4) got his first victory since May 21 by working six innings after surviving a shaky start. Tom Wilhelmsen (aka the bartender) rescued Vidal Nuno from a big jam in the seventh.

And Diaz worked around a second-and-third jam with no outs in the eighth inning before Steve Cishek closed out the victory for his 24th save in 29 chances.

Let’s take them in order.

Hernandez gave up three runs in the first inning and a home run to Pittsburgh pitcher Francisco Liriano in the second before finding a comfort zone and allowing nothing more before exiting after the sixth.

“I’ve got to have better mechanics,” said Hernandez, who was making his second start after a six-week stay on the disabled listed because of a strained right calf muscle.

“I’ve got to stay back a little more. I’m going too quick. I’m not that kind of pitcher, who gives up four runs in the first two innings.”

The Mariners, meanwhile, battered Liriano (6-10) for seven runs in 3 1/3 innings in erasing deficits of 3-0 after one inning and 4-1 after two.

“That’s something we’ve been able to do this year,” Seager said. “We’re able to string together some good at-bats. It’s a real deep lineup, and we get contributions from top to bottom.”

Vidal Nuno inherited a 7-4 lead to start the seventh inning and ran into immediate trouble by walking David Freese on four pitches and yielding a single to Gregory Polanco.

That prompted a switch to Wilhelmsen with runners at first and third with no outs —and Wilhelmsen was terrific against the three-four-five hitters in the Pirates’ lineup.

Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte struck out before Jung Ho Kang hit a grounder to short that resulted in a force at second.

“That’s always the goal,” he said. “Get three outs with no runs. Or however many outs you’re asked to get.”

Then it was Diaz’s turn in the eighth after Francisco Cervelli led off with a single and moved to third on Adam Frazier’s double to right.

“The pitching coach (Mel Stottlemyre Jr.) came up to me,” Diaz said, “and said, ‘Stay relaxed. Make pitches.’ (Robinson) Cano did the same thing. And I made pitches and got out of trouble.”

Diaz got an assist when Cervelli inexplicably chose to hold third on Jordy Mercer’s fly to center — even though Leonys Martin conceded the run by throwing to third.

That was all Diaz needed. Pinch-hitter Josh Harrison flied to short left, and David Freese grounded out to short.

Hernandez gave up three runs in the first inning of his previous start, his first after returning from the disabled list, and he did it again.

Pittsburgh grabbed a 1-0 lead on Polanco’s one-out homer later in the inning. His 404-foot drive to center just cleared a leaping Martin at the center-field wall.

Hernandez hit McCutchen with a pitch, and Marte followed with an RBI triple off the right-center wall. Marte scored on Kang’s grounder to short.

That quickly, the Mariners trailed 3-0.

The Mariners got one run back in the second after Seager’s one-out bunt single. After Liriano walked Mike Zunino, Martin pulled an RBI double past first base.

Liriano got that run back on his own with a two-out homer later in the second. It was a 416-foot bomb to center. A no-doubter.

The Mariners came all the way back in the third inning.

Gutierrez led off with a homer and, after Dae-Ho Lee’s two-out single, Seager sent a 377-foot drive over the right-field wall. It was Seager’s 20th of the season, and the Mariners were even at 4-4.

The Mariners then grabbed the lead in the fourth on Shawn O’Malley’s one-out RBI double into the left-field corner. Martin led off with a single and moved to second on Hernandez’s sacrifice before scoring.

Liriano then walked Gutierrez before Robinson Cano lined an RBI single to left for a 6-4 lead. The Pirates went to the bullpen for Jared Hughes, who yielded an RBI grounder to Cruz before ending the inning.