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Hernandez sharp again, as M's beat Brewers to avoid sweep

Aug 11, 2013 - 11:53 PM Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Felix Hernandez had another dominant outing in leading the Seattle Mariners to a 2-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, avoiding a three-game sweep.

Hernandez (12-5) won for the seventh time in his last eight decisions after going eight scoreless innings. He allowed four hits and struck out nine while walking one, shrinking his ERA to an American League-low 2.28.

"I just wanted to do what I had to do to win this game," Hernandez said. "I felt pretty good today. I mixed a lot of pitches."

Justin Smoak hit his fourth home run in his last 11 games for Seattle, which had lost four of five coming into the game.

Wily Peralta (8-12) was a hard-luck loser after giving up two runs on four hits in eight innings. That effort, which took only 98 pitches, was good enough to earn him his second complete game of both his season and career.

"I think Wily was really good," Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said. "I thought he threw the ball great. He was a pitcher today, mixing his sliders and changeups. That was really a great game for him."

Juan Francisco had a double for Milwaukee, its only extra-base hit, as the Brewers lost for just the second time in six games.

Seattle took the lead in the third inning. Dustin Ackley led off with a double to left field and moved to third on Brendan Ryan's ground out to second. After Peralta bounced a pitch past catcher Martin Maldonado, Ackley raced home, just past the tag of Peralta to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead.

Smoak crushed a high fastball in the fifth inning to give the Mariners a 2-0 lead.

Hernandez minimized the Brewers threats throughout the afternoon. Francisco was stranded after his one-out double in the second. After 11 straight outs, Maldonado and Jean Segura singled in the sixth, but a double play and a caught stealing ended that potential rally.

"He made very few mistakes today," Brewers designated hitter Jonathan Lucroy said.

Scooter Gennett singled with two outs in the eighth, but Hernandez struck out Maldonado to end the inning and his dominant afternoon.

Danny Farquhar worked around a two-out single in the ninth to pick up his fourth save.

Game Notes

Hernandez also leads the American League with 173 2/3 innings and is second with 178 strikeouts ... Hernandez gave up one or fewer runs for the 98th time in his career. Since he entered the league in 2005, he has posted the most starts of that nature. He also has given up one run or less while going at least eight innings 54 times ... Hernandez is 103-25 when the Mariners give him at least two runs of support ... Milwaukee was hitless in two at bats with runners in scoring position and left four on base ... Seattle was hitless in its only at bat with a runner in scoring position and stranded only one.