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Hernandez, Mariners blank Yankees

Aug 4, 2012 - 10:58 PM Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Felix Hernandez continued to bedevil the Yankees, tossing a two-hit shutout as Seattle claimed a narrow 1-0 decision in the middle test of a three-game set.

Hernandez (10-5) improved to 4-1 in five starts at the new Yankee Stadium, having come into the contest with a 1.47 earned run average there in four previous outings and lowering it to 1.13.

"That was just special stuff today," said Mariners manager Eric Wedge. "I thought it was the most impressive start that I've ever seen as a manager."

Mike Carp picked up two hits and drove in the lone run for the Mariners, who have won nine of their last 11 games and shook off a defeat in Friday's series opener.

Hiroki Kuroda (10-8) allowed seven hits and one run over 6 1/3 innings for the Yankees, who have dropped five of seven.

Seattle jumped in front with a run in the second, all the offense Hernandez needed on a hot afternoon. John Jaso began it with a double, advanced to third on a Kyle Seager groundout and scored on Carp's two-out base hit.

Hernandez allowed just three baserunners through six: a first-inning double to Robinson Cano, Ichiro Suzuki's leadoff single in the third and a walk to Curtis Granderson in the sixth.

After the base on balls, he allowed one more Yankee to reach base -- walking Raul Ibanez with two down in the seventh -- then retired the final seven he faced.

"He had all four of his pitches. He was never in any bad counts. You look up and he averaged about a ball per hitter," said Yankees manager Joe Girardi when asked what specifically Hernandez did to stymie his lineup. "He just didn't give us anything to hit."

Kuroda stranded runners on first and second in the fifth, then survived a scare in his final full frame by retiring Seager on a pop out and Casper Wells on a fielder's choice grounder after a pair of one-out singles left runners on the corners.

Boone Logan entered in the seventh with two on and one out, diffusing the situation by retiring the next two batters he encountered.

Game Notes

This was the second shutout Hernandez has recorded in the new Yankee Stadium, after a 7-0 triumph on June 30, 2010...It was the seventh career whitewash for the 26-year-old Venezuelan, and boosted his overall record to 6-0 in his last nine starts since losing to the Padres on June 12...Hernandez also has recorded nine starts in 2012 of eight-or-more innings, allowing one run or less...Suzuki extended his hit streak since he arrived in the Bronx to 11 games...Kuroda had been 4-0 in daytime starts this season, having tossed 31 scoreless innings in those outings until Carp's RBI hit...Seattle shortstop Brendan Ryan left the game after the seventh inning, having been hit by Kuroda on the left elbow.