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King Felix tries to bounce back versus Royals

Apr 16, 2011 - 2:47 PM (Sports Network) - Felix Hernandez tries to bounce back from a rare awful outing this afternoon when the Seattle Mariners continue their four-game series with the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

Hernandez was banged around by the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday for seven runs and 12 hits in just six innings. However, the Mariners got the AL's reigning Cy Young Award winner off the hook by rallying from a seven-run deficit to post an improbable 8-7 win.

The 12 hits were the most he's surrendered since a 13-hit attack by the Angels back in September of 2008. Hernandez, who gave up seven earned runs just three times last year, saw his ERA double to 4.50 on the young season.

"Every pitch I threw, they were hitting," said Hernandez, who is 1-1. "The sinker wasn't good, right in the middle of the plate. It was just a bad game. One of those nights. Everything was a little up. But we won the game and that's the most important thing. I was disappointed because I wanted a good outing for my teammates and team, but we won the game and that's what it's all about."

Hernandez has faced the Royals seven times and is 3-2 against them with a 2.85 ERA.

Kansas City, meanwhile, will counter with right-hander Sean O'Sullivan, who will be making his first start of the season. O' Sullivan was beaten out by Vin Mazzaro this spring for the fifth starter spot, but the latter has struggled in his warmup appearances at Triple-A Omaha.

O'Sullivan hasn't been that great either in a relief role for the Royals, as he is 0-1 and has allowed five runs in four innings of work.

Kansas City has won the first two games of this series. On Friday Jeff Francoeur roped a two-run homer in the third inning, and the Royals worked out of a ninth inning jam in a 6-5 triumph.

Francoeur finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and scored two runs, and Matt Treanor added a solo homer in the fourth for Kansas City, which has won five of six.

Luke Hochevar (2-1) got the win for allowing one run on one hit in seven innings, while striking out four. Joakim Soria recorded his fourth save of the year by getting the Royals out of the ninth inning trouble.

Erik Bedard (0-3) took the loss for Seattle, allowing five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits with six strikeouts, in 4 2/3 innings. Ichiro Suzuki finished 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored in the loss, Seattle's third straight. The Mariners have lost 10 of 12 since starting the season with back- to-back victories.

"Every start is progress and I actually felt good," Bedard said. "Maybe (with) the score, it didn't seem like that, but I felt really good. I had good velocity on the fastball and I threw some good breaking balls."

Suzuki has now recorded multi-hit games in a Kauffman Stadium-record 10 straight games. He is also riding a 16-game hitting streak there.

Kansas City won five of its nine meetings with the Mariners last season.