Mariners Get Back To Winning Behind Felix Hernandez’s Decent Spring Opener

After a disappointing performance yesterday, the Mariners got back to their winning ways against the split-squad Chicago Whitesox, taking them down 8-1 with a helpful effort from their long-time ace, Felix Hernandez.

Thanks to the tremendous run support given by the offense for the third time in four games and a fairly solid two-inning start by Felix Hernandez, the Mariners were able to get back to their lopsided winning ways versus half of the Whitesox roster this afternoon.

Much like their first two wins this spring, the M’s used their pop and quickness to outplay their competitors.

The core of the lineup was producing like they should. Jean Segura, Robinson Cano, and Nelson Cruz went a combined 4-7, scored five of the team’s eight runs, drove in two more runs, and drew two walks. But it wasn’t just the big guns who were firing away.

Seven other Mariners also collected hits this afternoon and two of them contributed some of the most memorable shots of the game.

The new young right fielder, Mitch Haniger, created an early separation between the two clubs as he blasted one of the harder hit home runs so far this spring training. The ball arced over the outfield fence, then over the bullpen and out of the Camelback Ranch stadium.

It was his first home run of the spring but it was the kind of blast that showed what he is capable of in terms of power. This may have been what manager Scott Servais was talking about when he said he was “impressed” by him.

Aside from Haniger, Guillermo Heredia continued his tear this spring training. Heredia added another two hits to his total so far this spring. He hit his third double today and his first triple. With both of those extra-base hits, he became tied for the spring training lead for both doubles and triples.

On the whole, Heredia is batting .556 through the four games, only second on the Mariners to Jean Segura who is batting a scorching .750 which is tied for the best this spring among qualified batters.

All this firepower came early and often. Seven of the team’s eight runs were put on the board in the first two innings with the eighth run coming in the 6th.

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This allowed for Felix Hernandez and the other pitchers that followed him to comfortably go through their motions knowing they had plenty of run support. After Hernandez’s line of 2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, and 1 BB, the five pitchers that came after him went 7 IP, 3 H, 4 BB, 5 K.

The amount of run support the offensive has given the Mariners pitchers this spring seems to have correlated with how these pitchers do. In their three wins, the M’s have given up two, three and one runs respectively.

At the moment, it seems like all sides of the Mariners roster are clicking. They are one of four teams in the Cactus league with three or more wins this spring. Only their AL West Division rival, Los Angeles Angels have more with their 4-0 record.

Next: Mariners Pitching Gets Beat Up

The Mariners play game five of their spring training gauntlet tomorrow on the 1st of March at 12:05PST against the defending AL champions, the Cleveland Indians.