Bronx, NY (Sports Network) – Felix Hernandez became the second Seattle pitcher in as many days to throw a complete game against the Yankees, as the Mariners took a 7-0 win in the second of a three-game set.
Hernandez (6-5) joined Cliff Lee, who threw a complete game in a 7-4 win on Tuesday, to toss his third complete game of the season. Hernandez gave up just two hits with three walks and 11 strikeouts in winning his third straight decision.
Michael Saunders had his first multi-home run game with a solo shot and a two-run blast, while Milton Bradley added a solo homer and Russell Branyan clubbed a two-run shot for the Mariners, who have won three of four.
“I’ve been a lot more confident going in and not putting too much pressure on myself,” said Saunders. “The beauty of playing baseball is if you have a poor game you get to come back the next day and prove yourself.”
Javier Vazquez (6-7) was tagged for three runs on six hits with two walks and eight strikeouts over six innings for the Yankees, who have dropped three of four. Mark Teixeira and Colin Curtis each hit a double to account for the New York hits.
“He was as good a pitcher as we’ve faced all year,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi about Hernandez. “Between his sinker, his changeup, curveball, I mean he was really on tonight.”
The Yanks put runners on first and third with two outs in the first, but Robinson Cano flied out to end the inning.
Seattle got on the board in the second inning when Bradley led off by crushing an 0-2 pitch over the wall in center for a 1-0 lead.
The Mariners added to their lead in the third. Saunders led off with a homer, and, three batters later, Branyan was hit by a pitch. Bradley followed with a single to get Branyan in scoring position, and Jose Lopez singled to center to plate Branyan for a 3-0 lead.
Teixeira led off the fourth with a double, but he was stranded there as Hernandez retired the next three batters.
Curtis doubled with one-out in the Yankee fifth, but Hernandez set down the next two batters to escape the threat.
Hernandez then set the Yanks down in order in the sixth and Seattle padded its lead in the seventh as Branyan’s two-run homer made it a 5-0 game.
Hernandez then worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning, and Saunders hit his second home run of the game, a two-run shot in the eighth, for a 7-0 lead.
Hernandez again retired the Yankees in order in the eighth and worked around a one-out walk in the ninth to lock down the win.
Seattle center fielder Franklin Gutierrez left the game after the first inning with an upset stomach…Seattle goes for the sweep on Thursday with Ryan Rowland-Smith on the mound, while New York will put CC Sabathia on the hill…Hernandez improved to 3-3 against the Yankees, while Vazquez fell to 3-3 against Seattle…It was the 10th complete game and fourth shutout of Hernandez’s career…The last time New York had consecutive games thrown against them was April 21 and 22, 2000 when Toronto’s Chris Carpenter and Kelvim Escobar turned the feat…Teixeira has an 11-game hitting streak.