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Hernandez shines as Mariners hold off A's

Apr 12, 2014 - 7:12 AM Seattle, WA (SportsNetwork.com) - Felix Hernandez struck out 11 batters over seven-plus innings and the Seattle Mariners got homers from Brad Miller and Mike Zunino in a 6-4 win over the Oakland Athletics.

Hernandez (3-0), who gave up four hits and was charged with two runs, has fanned 30 over his first three starts. He became the first Mariners pitcher to record three wins in the team's first nine games of a season.

Dustin Ackley had three hits and scored twice, while Robinson Cano drove in a run for Seattle, which lost 2-of-3 in Oakland last weekend.

"I think the offense has always been a question in Seattle, how many runs we could put up," said Ackley. "Early on, we've proven that we can put some runs on the board and with the guys we've got on the mound, we're going to have a good chance to win a lot of games."

The A's scored all their runs in the eighth inning, but went 1-for-13 with men in scoring position and had a four-game win streak broken.

Tommy Milone (0-1) surrendered 10 hits and five runs -- three earned -- over five-plus frames. The southpaw also had seven strikeouts.

"We didn't play very well early in the game," said A's manager Bob Melvin. "Tommy pitched way better than his line would suggest."

Abraham Almonte doubled leading off the bottom of the first inning, and he scored later in the frame on Cano's infield hit. First baseman Daric Barton couldn't handle the ball cleanly, and Milone was late covering the bag.

The Mariners tacked on two runs in the fourth. Kyle Seager hit a ball down the right-field line that was originally ruled a homer, but was overturned on replay. With two outs, Ackley doubled, and he scored on Zunino's infield hit when third baseman Josh Donaldson made a diving stop, but threw wild to first. An error on shortstop Jed Lowrie, on a ball hit by Almonte, allowed Zunino to come home.

Hernandez caught Sam Fuld looking at strike three to strand runners at the corners in the fifth.

Zunino homered to left with Ackley aboard in the sixth. Two batters later, Miller homered to center off Drew Pomeranz for a 6-0 cushion.

Hernandez struck out the side in the seventh, but departed in the eighth after hitting Barton with a pitch and giving up a single to Eric Sogard. Lucas Luetge walked Fuld to fill the bases, and Danny Farquhar walked Lowrie to account for Oakland's first run.

After Donaldson struck out, Charlie Furbush was summoned from the bullpen, but he gave up an RBI single to Brandon Moss. Yoenis Cespedes then beat out a potential double-play ball for a 6-3 contest, and Furbush's wild pitch plated Lowrie. Furbush retired Alberto Callaspo on a pop-up to keep the two-run lead.

Fernando Rodney gave up a double to pinch-hitter John Jaso to start the ninth, but retired the next three batters to log his third save.

Game Notes

Hernandez, who threw 71 of his 104 pitches for strikes, moved to 17-7 lifetime against the A's ... At 6-3, the Mariners are tied for their second-best mark to start a season ... Hernandez has 212 strikeouts against the A's, the most among active pitchers.