Mariners 1, Red Sox 0
Pinch hitter John Jaso singled in the lone run in the bottom of the ninth and Felix Hernandez matched a career-high with 13 strikeouts as Seattle edged visiting Boston in the opener of a four-game series.
Jaso smacked the first pitch from Scott Atchison (2-1) into right field and Casper Wells scored from second, beating the throw from Red Sox right fielder Cody Ross when catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia was unable to hold on to the ball while making a lunging tag.
Hernandez (6-5) allowed five hits and one walk in his second consecutive strong effort. The right-hander previously struck out 13 against the San Diego Padres last season.
Wells hit a one-out double and Justin Smoak was walked intentionally prior to Jaso’s game-winning hit.
Hernandez worked out of a jam in the top of the ninth. He allowed a one-out single to David Ortiz and walked Saltalamacchia before retiring Adrian Gonzalez on a deep fly and getting Will Middlebrooks to fly out to cap a 128-pitch outing.
Franklin Morales struck out seven in seven shutout innings for Boston. Morales gave up three hits and two walks in his third start of the season. Andrew Miller pitched a scoreless eighth.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Hernandez recorded 10 or more strikeouts for the second straight outing and 19th time of his career. … Morales has 24 strikeouts in 18 innings over three starts. … Mariners outfielder Franklin Gutierrez left in the fourth inning after getting hit in the face with a pickoff throw to first base by Morales. … Ortiz is 6-for-13 over his last four games.