Mariners 3, Yankees 2
NEW YORK -- Felix Hernandez matched Hall of Famer Randy Johnson for the most strikeouts in Seattle Mariners history and pitched five innings during a 3-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Saturday afternoon
Hernandez (1-1) needed four strikeouts to match Johnson's mark of 2,162 from 1989 to 1998 and did so by getting Didi Gregorius to end the fifth with two on.
It also was Hernandez's final pitch because his pitch count was at 106 due to a career-high tying six walks. One of those walks was on a close 3-2 pitch to Chase Headley but seven pitches later, Hernandez struck out Gregorius looking to match Johnson.
It was the fourth time Hernandez walked six but first time since April 5, 2010 at Oakland.
Hernandez allowed one run and five hits, marking the eighth start in the current Yankee Stadium he allowed one run or less. Unlike most of Hernandez's previous starts in New York, this was a struggle.
Hernandez had runners in every inning but the Yankees were hitless in 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position during the first five innings.
Hernandez had two on in the first but fanned Carlos Beltran to end it, loaded the bases in the second but retired Brett Gardner. In the fourth, Hernandez put two on but retired Alex Rodriguez on one pitch to end it before getting his milestone.
Hernandez did not get the lead until the Mariners put together a three-run rally off CC Sabathia (1-1).
Leonys Martin opened the inning by sending a 1-2 breaking ball into the right-center field seats. The Mariners took the lead when Ketel Marte raced home from first on a single by Robinson Cano and added a third run on a double by Cruz down the left field line.
Sabathia lasted 4 2/3 innings and allowed three runs and seven hits.
The Yankees' lone run off Hernandez was an RBI double by Beltran in the fourth. Rodriguez returned to the lineup after sitting out Friday but stranded four runners by going 0-for-5, extending his hitless drought to 19 at-bats while hearing boos after striking out swinging in the ninth. Rodriguez is now hitting .100.
Beltran also had a solo home run with one out in the seventh off Nick Vincent. The Yankees had two chances at taking the lead but Vincent got Headley to hit into a double play.
New York had another chance to get the lead when Ellsbury's grounder went through first baseman Adam Lind's legs but Joaquin Benoit retired Gardner.
Steve Cishek gave up a pair of two-out hits but retired Headley to record his first save.
NOTES: Yankees manager Joe Girardi gave a blunt answer during his pregame press conference when asked why he didn't commit to having struggling DH Alex Rodriguez in the lineup following Friday's game. His answer: "I didn't feel like answering the question is the bottom line." ... Seattle 3B Kyle Seeger was given Saturday off from the starting lineup. He has two hits in his last 31 plate appearances and is hitless in his last 13 at-bats. ... The Yankees made their second pitching transaction of the season when RHP Brenden Pinder was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre and RHP Tyler Olson was optioned back there. Sunday will be the first matchup between former Rakuten Golden Eagles teammates RHP Masahiro Tanaka and RHP Hisashi Iwakuma. "I'm sure he's looking forward to it and I'm sure there'll be a lot of TVs on," Girardi said.