Final
  for this game

Mariners-Reds Preview

May 21, 2016 - 4:20 AM Felix Hernandez has fared well on the road in interleague play for quite some time.

Hoping that continues in his first such appearance at Great American Ballpark, Hernandez tries to help the Seattle Mariners hand the reeling Cincinnati Reds a sixth consecutive defeat.

Hernandez (3-3, 2.47 ERA) is 8-0 with a 1.44 ERA his last 10 starts in NL parks, though six came at San Diego's spacious Petco Park. The most recent at Colorado last season was his roughest of that stretch, allowing four runs and 11 hits, but Hernandez still struck out nine over 6 1/3 innings of the 8-7 victory.

Seattle (24-17) is 9-1 during that interleague road run by Hernandez, which began in 2008.

Though he pitched a scoreless inning at Great American Ballpark during last year's All-Star Game, Hernandez's only start against the Reds came during a 2010 complete-game 5-1 victory.

The right-hander suffered his first defeat in four starts Sunday while he allowed three runs over 7 1/3 innings of a 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Despite the outcome, Hernandez felt he had some of his better stuff.

''It was the best game I've thrown the whole year,'' he said. ''I just got to continue doing that and I'll be fine.''

Facing the Reds (15-27) for the first time since 2013 on a weekend celebrating soon-to-be Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., the Mariners improved to 11-2 against them after Friday's 8-3 victory. Dae-Ho Lee's two-run single highlighted a four-run seventh and he added a solo homer two innings later as Seattle overcame a 3-0 hole to improve to 3-1 on a six-game trip.

The South Korean rookie was hitless in his previous seven at-bats prior to Friday, when he homered for the sixth time and raised his RBI total to 12 in 25 overall contests.

Kyle Seager had two hits, and is 17 for 38 with nine RBIs in his last 10 road contests.

The Mariners scored all but one of their runs off Cincinnati's generous bullpen, which has a major league-worst 6.76 ERA and yielded 30 earned runs, seven homers and 26 walks in 26 2/3 innings over the last six contests.

''They've struggled, no doubt,'' Mariners manager Scott Servais said. ''You look at the scouting reports coming in. They've had a lot of injuries.''

On the starting front, Cincinnati's John Lamb (0-1, 5.79) allowed two runs and eight hits over 10 innings of his first two 2016 starts. He was then tagged for seven and 10 hits through four of Monday's 15-6 loss at Cleveland. The left-hander did not use a thumb injury he suffered in his previous start and forced his most recent one to be pushed back as an excuse.

"Nothing physically disabling me from doing what I feel I'm capable of doing," Lamb said.

"I didn't have any control on my secondary pitches, so I'm a little frustrated with my execution. I should have done a better job.''

Joey Votto is 3 for 27 in the last eight games.

Cincinnati has lost 10 of 12 overall and nine of its last 10 interleague contests.








  • SEATTLE: 4
    CINCINNATI: 0
    Final

    Sep 26 12:11 PM


  • SEATTLE: 4
    CINCINNATI: 0
    End 9

    May 21 7:04 PM


  • Iannetta flied out to left fielder Duvall.

    Mariners 4, Reds 0  Top 4, 2 OutsMay 21 5:15 PM


  • Iannetta flied out to left fielder Duvall.

    Mariners 4, Reds 0  Top 4, 2 OutsMay 21 5:14 PM


  • Lee singled to left, Cruz to third.

    Mariners 4, Reds 0  Top 4, 1 OutMay 21 5:13 PM
  • 16
    roots
    RUWTbot Added 11 roots

    Mariners 4, Reds 0  Top 4, 1 OutMay 21 5:13 PM


  • Franklin Gutierrez homers to left field. Dae-Ho Lee scores. Nelson Cruz scores.

    Mariners 4, Reds 0  Top 4, 1 OutMay 21 5:12 PM
  • 5
    roots
    RUWTbot Added 5 roots

    Mariners 1, Reds 0  Bot 3, 2 OutsMay 21 4:53 PM


  • Leonys Martin homers to right field.

    Mariners 1, Reds 0  Top 2, 2 OutsMay 21 4:34 PM


  • Ketel Marte pops out to first base to Joey Votto.

    May 21 4:12 PM


  • SEATTLE: 0
    CINCINNATI: 0
    Final

    May 21 4:12 PM