SEATTLE — This 5-0 victory over Texas was almost bittersweet for the Mariners because it points to what might have been.
Felix Hernandez pitched eight dominant innings, and Nelson Cruz hit his 40th homer in a glorious Thursday matinee at Safeco Field.
Hernandez improved to 17-8 by limiting the Rangers to three hits before Tom Wilhelmsen closed out the Mariners’ second straight combined shutout in a non-save situation.
Vidal Nuno and two relievers held the Rangers to only one hit Wednesday in a 6-0 victory
Cruz’s homer came in his return to the lineup after a six-game absence because a strained right quadriceps muscle.
It capped a three-run seventh against Texas lefty Derek Holland, who had stoned the Mariners after a two-run first inning.
The victory enabled the Mariners to split the four-game series and climb back to within five games of .500 at 68-73 with 20 games remaining. They have won nine of their last 13.
The Mariners struck for two two-out runs in the first inning against Holland (3-2) after Cruz grounded a single into center field.
Cruz went to third on Robinson Cano’s double to left, and both runners scored when Mark Trumbo sliced a double into right field. The double extended Trumbo’s career-best hitting streak to 12 games.
Hernandez walked hitters with two outs in the first and second innings despite jumping ahead 0-2 in the count, but he pitched around both lapses.
The Mariners mounted a first-and-third threat with one out in the fourth on singles by Seth Smith and Jesus Montero, but Holland escaped by getting Jesus Sucre to ground into a double play.
Hernandez started the fifth inning by walking Elvis Andrus, who appeared to steal second on Joey Gallo’s swinging third strike.
Umpire Tom Hallion, the crew chief, ruled Andrus came off the base while shortstop Ketel Marte had the tag applied. The Rangers challenged, but a replay review confirmed the call.
Texas gift-wrapped a scoring chance for the Mariners later in the fifth after Holland issued a one-out walk to Marte.
Kyle Seager’s grounder to second should be have been an inning-ending double play. Instead, Rougned Odor mishandled it for an error, which put runners at first and second.
Next, Holland tried for pickoff at second base on Marte but threw the ball into center field for another error. That put runners at second and third with one out, but the Mariners refused the gift.
Cruz struck out, and Cano grounded out to second.
The Mariners finally cashed an opportunity in the seventh inning after getting a leadoff double from Sucre on a drive the bounced over the right-field wall.
Sucre went to third on Shawn O’Malley’s sacrifice. With the Texas infield shortened, Marte drove a single up the middle for a 3-0 lead. Cruz then drove a two-out homer to right.
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