Mariners 6, Yankees 0
Felix Hernandez dominated the New York Yankees for the third time this season and Russell Branyan drilled a pair of long home runs to carry the Seattle Mariners to a 6-0 romp Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at Yankee Stadium
Hernandez (9-10) turned in eight overpowering innings, striking out 11 and surrendering just four hits to halt the Yankees’ three-game winning streak.
In three starts vs. New York this season, including two complete games, Hernandez allowed just one run while striking out 30 in 26 innings.
Hernandez got all the offensive support he needed when Branyan belted a three-run homer off Yankees starter A.J. Burnett in the first inning.
Branyan added a solo shot off Burnett in the sixth inning as Seattle won at Yankee Stadium for the third time in four games this season.
Burnett (9-11) labored through seven innings, allowing six runs and a season-high 12 hits in absorbing his third straight defeat.
New York saw its lead in the American League East cut to one-half game over Tampa Bay, which played at Oakland on Friday night.
The Yankees, who scored 26 runs in taking the final three games against the Detroit Tigers, did load the bases with one out in the fifth, but Hernandez blew away Ramiro Pena and Brett Gardner to end the threat.