Texas @ Seattle preview
T-Mobile Park
Last Meeting ( Sep 17, 2010 ) Texas 1, Seattle 2
After a dominating performance by Felix Hernandez on Friday night, the Seattle Mariners will see their "other" ace in action on Saturday against the Texas Rangers.
Actually the other ace pitches for Texas as the Mariners traded left-hander Cliff Lee to the Rangers for first baseman Justin Smoak and three minor-leaguers on July 9.
Saturday’s game marks Lee’s first appearance against the Mariners since he was traded just before the All-Star break.
Lee (11-8, 3.28 ERA) will face Seattle left-hander Jason Vargas (9-10, 3.62 ERA) in the second contest of a three-game series at Safeco Field.
Hernandez helped the Mariners (56-91) snap their seven-game losing streak and end Texas’ season-high seven-game winning streak by taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning.
Hernandez, who is being touted as a Cy Young Award candidate despite his 12-11 record, was as good as he has been all season.
After walking the first batter of the game, the right-hander retired 21 consecutive batters and appeared he would get his first no-hitter. But Nelson Cruz led off the eighth inning with his 20th homer, smashing a 1-0 pitch over the wall in left-center field.
Hernandez limited Texas to a season-low three hits in eight innings and had eight strikeouts to regain the major-league lead with 222. He also earned his first win over the Rangers (82-64) in five starts this season. Hernandez leads the American League in ERA (2.35) and innings pitched (233 2/3).
Lee was also an early candidate for the Cy Young Award. He was 8-3 with a 2.34 ERA in 13 starts with the Mariners.
But Lee had a rough August with the Rangers, going 1-4 with two no-decisions as they lost six of his seven starts.
He was off the first 12 days of September with lower back pain but allowed two hits in eight innings against the New York Yankees on Sunday.
Although they still have a magic number of eight to clinch the AL West, the Rangers have already tabbed Lee as their starter for Game 1 of the playoffs.
In 12 career starts against the Mariners, Lee is 9-1 with a 3.35 ERA. He has 17 strikeouts and no walks in his last four appearances against Seattle.
Vargas is in the same situation as just about every pitcher in Seattle’s starting rotation: He has received little run support. The Mariners have scored just seven runs as he lost his last five starts.
Vargas went seven innings, allowing two runs on Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels but the Mariners were shutout, 3-0. Vargas is 1-1 with a 5.56 ERA in two starts against Texas this season.
Seattle second baseman Chone Figgins extended his hitting streak to a season-high-tying nine games with the go-ahead RBI single in the third inning Friday. He is batting .459 during the streak.
Figgins also stole his 40th base on Friday to become the eighth player in the American League since 1960 to reach that mark in five seasons.