OAKLAND, Calif. — Right-hander Felix Hernandez and closer Fernando Rodney both had tough outings Sunday, but the Seattle Mariners still prevailed, beating Oakland 8-7 in 10 innings.
Hernandez gave up three runs on eight hits in five innings against a team he usually dominates. There was a reason for Hernandez’s problems. Make that two reasons. He tweaked an ankle in the first inning then strained a quad in the third.
The Mariners took him out of the game after the fifth for precautionary reasons because of what they called right quad tightness.
“I just feel a little tight in my leg,” said Hernandez, who vowed to make his next start. “I’ll be fine.”
Rodney entered the game in the bottom of the ninth with Seattle leading 7-3. He gave up four hits and four earned runs as the A’s forced extra innings. Rodney blew the save but got the win, thanks to right fielder Nelson Cruz’s two-out solo homer in the 10th and right-hander Yoervis Medina’s perfect bottom of the 10th.
“I don’t know what happened,” Rodney said. “I was getting a little big down in the count early so I had to find the strike zone. They were making good contact on their swings.”
Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said he still has faith in Rodney.
“Nobody’s perfect and everybody flies off the handle when a guy blows a game,” McClendon said. “But I can’t do that. Somebody’s got to keep their head, and I choose to keep mine. He’ll be back out there tomorrow. Trust me.”