Felix survives injury scare to help sweep Royals

In his last start, Felix Hernandez threw a pitch that fractured a bone in the left hand of Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees.

Sunday, the Seattle starter got a little reverse mojo. He was hit by a pitch on his left hand, just about at the same spot where Rodriguez was hit. But by fortunate happenstance, Hernandez won’t miss a start; Rodriguez could miss two months.

X-rays taken during the latter stages of the Mariners’  7-6 win over Kansas City revealed no break. And although Hernandez felt increasing pain from the fifth through the seventh innings, he could make a fist after the game. The Mariners expect their ace will be ready to go next weekend in Yankee Stadium.

“I was angry after it happened,” Hernandez said. Not angry at the fourth-inning batter,  Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer, but angry because Hernandez feels he should catch all balls hit back at him. There have been many this season.

“The wrist is going to be all right,” Hernandez said. “It’s hurting a little now, though.”

That pain took priority over the pain of having lost a chance at reaching 10 wins by the end of July. No. 10 seemed to be in the bag when Hernandez left the game in the seventh inning with a 5-2 lead, but an uncharacteristic blow-up by the Seattle bullpen saw the Royals rally to tie in the eighth.

In the bottom half,  a throwing error on the part of KC reliever Jose Mijares gave Seattle a run on a single by Casper Wells.

The Mariners led from the fourth inning, when Trayvon Robinson doubled one run home and Brendan Ryan pushed the score to 3-1 with a sacrifice fly. Kyle Seager produced yet another bases-loaded hit – his seventh of the season – to drive in two for a 5-2 lead in the seventh before bullpen issues manifested themselves.

Brandon League — who is a possibility to be dealt before the non-waiver trade deadline Tuesday – faced four batters and gave up three hits. One run scored, and reliever Oliver Perez took over with two out and two on. He was scorched by a game-tying single to Hosmer.

But in the eighth, Mike Carp’s third hit and second double of the day got the Mariners some of their momentum back. He scored when Mijares threw Robinson’s sac-bunt try past Hosmer at first base. The Mariners survived a single-run Royals rally in the ninth to complete Seattle’s first four-game sweep in Safeco Field since 2001.