Logan Morrison, Mariners Offense Surge to Back Felix Hernandez

Talk about making it up all at once! After giving Felix Hernandez only 1 run of support in his previous three outings, the Mariners offense– led by first baseman Logan Morrison— erupted for 12 total runs in a 12-3 rout of the Boston Red Sox.

The entire Mariners offense filled up the stat sheet, including two monster home runs by LoMo. In total the offense managed 14 hits and 5 walks while striking out 7 times. The runs came in spurts: 6 in the 4th inning and 4 in the 7th.

The 3-4-5 hitters in the Mariners lineup combined for a stat line that reads: 9-14, 7 RBI, 1 BB and 1 strikeout. Now that is a productive middle of the order.

But the offensive outburst, which put the Mariners 5-games over .500 at 41-36 and 6.5 back in the division race, cannot overshadow King Felix and his incessant brilliance.

He went 7 innings again, and gave up 2 runs or fewer again. His ERA is a splendid 2.24 and he already has 9 wins on the season… and just for a reference, he had only 13 wins when he won the Cy Young back in 2010.

Something else to think about: after last night’s game the Mariners run differential is +46, one of only 14 teams with a positive line. Moreover, they are second in all of baseball in run differential behind only the absurd Oakland Athletics. The Mariners, Athletics, Angels, and San Francisco Giants are the only teams in baseball with a run differential higher than 40.

In tonight’s game, Red Sox pitcher Jake Peavy (1-5, 4.52 ERA) takes on Mariners Erasmo Ramirez (1-4, 4.62 ERA). That game could provide another heap of offensive fireworks.

BOX SCORE:

a-Walked for Chavez, En in the 7th.
1-Ran for Ackley in the 7th.

BATTING
2B: Napoli (11, Hernandez, F).
HR: Napoli (9, 4th inning off Hernandez, F, 0 on, 1 out).
TB: Ortiz, D 2; Napoli 6; Pedroia 2; Nava.
RBI: Ortiz, D (46), Napoli (30), Pierzynski (31).
2-out RBI: Ortiz, D.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Nava 2; Bradley Jr..
SF: Pierzynski.
Team RISP: 1-for-5.
Team LOB: 5.FIELDING
DP: (Pedroia-Drew-Napoli).

BATTING
2B: Cano (17, Lackey), Seager (18, Capuano), Jones, J (6, Capuano), Zunino (13, Breslow).
3B: Chavez, En (1, Lackey).
HR: Morrison 2 (4, 2nd inning off Lackey, 0 on, 1 out; 7th inning off Capuano, 1 on, 0 out).
TB: Jones, J 2; Cano 3; Zunino 2; Chavez, En 4; Bloomquist; Seager 4; Morrison 10.
RBI: Morrison 4 (9), Seager 2 (49), Ackley (27), Chavez, En 3 (5), Cano (43).
2-out RBI: Chavez, En 3.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Jones, J 3.
GIDP: Jones, J.
Team RISP: 6-for-11.
Team LOB: 6.FIELDING
E: Miller, B (10, throw).

Capuano pitched to 4 batters in the 7th.

WP: Lackey, Capuano 2, Hernandez, F.
HBP: Gomes, J (by Wilhelmsen).
Pitches-strikes: Lackey 74-53, Capuano 52-33, Breslow 40-19, Hernandez, F 95-61, Leone 18-13, Wilhelmsen 14-8.
Groundouts-flyouts: Lackey 7-0, Capuano 1-1, Breslow 3-1, Hernandez, F 7-2, Leone 0-1, Wilhelmsen 1-0.
Batters faced: Lackey 19, Capuano 13, Breslow 10, Hernandez, F 27, Leone 3, Wilhelmsen 5.
Inherited runners-scored: Capuano 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Jeff Kellogg. 1B: Dan Bellino. 2B: D.J. Reyburn. 3B: Pat Hoberg.
Weather: 69 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 1 mph, In from RF.
T: 2:57.
Att: 26,860.
Venue: Safeco Field.
June 23, 2014
Compiled by MLB Advanced Media