Mariners Game Recap: Mariners Beat Reds, Clinch 7th Road Series

King Felix and the Mariners blanked the Reds on Saturday afternoon to secure their 7th road series win of the season.

The Seattle Mariners (25-17) beat the Cincinnati Reds (15-28) on Saturday afternoon at Great American Ball Park. Felix Hernandez (4-3, 2.21 ERA) was the winning pitcher for the Mariners. On the losing side was Reds pitcher John Lamb (0-2, 5.40 ERA).

In his second career start against the Reds, King Felix was mostly dominant. He pitched a total of six innings, only giving up three free-passes with four hits and five strikeouts. Felix retired the first eight consecutive batters before running into trouble in the third inning.

Hernandez started the third with a strikeout to Ivan De Jesus and a ground out to catcher Tucker Barnhart. The third batter of the inning, pitcher John Lamb, was awarded the base because of a miscommunication between Felix and Iannetta. A miscommunication that was similar to the trouble inning he had in Oakland a few weeks ago, where the Atheltics ended up scoring up 5 runs in one inning without registering an out. Today Felix handled the mistep with confidence and ease, even after loading the bases for the Reds’ most dangerous hitter, Joey Votto. After a long at bat, Votto ended up lining out to Felix to end the inning and preserve the Mariners 1-0 lead.

Felix also ran into more trouble in the fifth inning. Ivan De Jesus singled to open the innning, but his single was erased on a Tucker Barnhart double play. Felix ended up walking Lamb, and then allowed a single to Billy Hamilton. Hernandez surrendered another walk to Tyler Holt to load the bases again for Joey Votto. After Votto annoyingly draws another long at bat, he finally ends up grounding out to Dae-Ho Lee at first, who tosses to Felix to end the inning. Momentum once again swung back in favor of the Mariners.  Felix came back out to pitch a quick, three-up three-down 6th inning.

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The Mariners bats came through for Felix today. Unlike yesterday’s game, Mariners hitters got to Lamb early in the game. The Mariners first run of the game came off a Leonys Martin solo-home run in 2nd. Remarkably, Martin’s home run today tied his career high for homers in a single season.

Two innings later, with Nelson Cruz on third and Dae-Ho Lee on first, Franklin Gutierrez absolutely crushed a 473-ft home run to left field to make the score 4-0 Mariners. According to Statcast, Guti’s home run was the second furthest hit home run ball this season. Second only to a 490-ft blast by Marlins hitter Giancarlo Stanton. It was the 57th home run the Mariners have hit this season, placing them third in the league, only behind the recently defeated Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays.

Next: KIng Felix Looks to Reign in Cincy

Tomorrow afternoon, the Seattle Mariners (25-17) will attempt to win the series with the Cincinnati Reds (15-28) on Saturday evening. First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 AM PT from Cincinnati. Wade Miley (4-2, 4.32 ERA) will get the ball for the Mariners, and Alfredo Simon (1-4, 10.34 ERA) will toe the slab for the Reds.