Mariners turn to King Felix in opener with Astros
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(SportsNetwork.com) - Seattle ace Felix Hernandez gets the ball for the Mariners on Friday night when they begin a three-game series with the host Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.
Hernandez and staff-mate Hisashi Iwakuma combined to go 26-16 with a sub-3.00 earned run average last season, but the Mariners have been without the services of Iwakuma since he suffered a finger injury in spring training.
He's penciled in as a starter for either game two or three of the series on the weekend.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meanwhile, Hernandez will try again for his first triumph since April 11.
He had a three-run lead in his most recent start -- on Saturday against Texas -- but the Rangers came back to earn a 6-3 win. Hernandez was pushed back a day after the Mariners were rained out in New York on Wednesday.
"Felix has been taxed quite a bit and he's pitched on regular rest for quite a while," Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said. "It's an opportunity to get him where we need him to be. His last two outings have not been sterling outings, I think we would agree."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He took a 7-2 loss to the Astros in an April 21 outing in Seattle that ended in a 7-2 defeat, allowing six runs on seen hits in seven innings.
For Houston, right-hander Brad Peacock makes his third start since returning to the rotation from the bullpen.
He allowed five runs in five innings of his most recent starting assignment, getting a no-decision in the Astros' 12-5 loss against Oakland one week ago.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Peacock defeated the Mariners on Sept. 11, 2013 after allowing just one run on three hits in six innings of a 6-1 verdict.
In four career starts against Seattle, he's 2-2 with a 7.20 ERA.
On Thursday in New York, Robinson Cano drew the ire of New York Yankees' fans once again, this time knocking in a pair of runs against his former club to help his new one, the Mariners, come through with a 4-2 victory that swept a rain-shortened two-game set.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Cano went a relatively harmless 1-for-5 with an RBI single while greeted with mostly boos in Seattle's 6-3 triumph over New York on Tuesday, the All-Star second baseman's first game at Yankee Stadium since signing a 10-year, $240 million contract with Seattle over the winter.
He did a bit more damage Thursday, coming through with a run-scoring double in his initial at-bat and an RBI fielder's choice in his second.
Rookie Roenis Elias (2-2) gave the Mariners quite a lift as well, striking out a career-best 10 batters while permitting just two runs -- one earned -- over seven strong innings. Michael Saunders added three hits, including an RBI double.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meanwhile in Houston on Wednesday, Anthony Rendon went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a home run and three RBI to lead the Washington Nationals to a 7-0 win over the Astros and a sweep of the brief two-game set.
Jesus Guzman went 3-for-4 with a double, the Astros' lone extra base hit. Jonathan Villar had two hits for Houston, which saw starter Brett Oberholtzer (0-5) get knocked around for six runs on 11 hits over 4 2/3 innings.
"We didn't generate much offense, and when we did we just could not get that big hit," Houston manager Bo Porter said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Houston took two of three from the Mariners earlier in the year.