#84: Felix Looking For Rebound Against Texas

GAME: Mariners (36-47, 4th, AL West, -12.0 GB) at Rangers (48-35, 2nd, AL West, 0.0 GB). GAME #: 84. SERIES: 2nd of 3 games. MEETING: 12th (Rangers lead 7-4). WHEN: Wednesday, 5:05 p.m., Rangers Ballpark. STREAKS: Mariners W 1; Rangers L 1. TV: Root Sports. RADIO: ESPN 710, Mariners Radio Network

Felix Hernandez, as per usual, has put up another slate of impressive numbers this season. He ranks third in the AL with a 2.70 ERA, fourth in innings pitched (116.2), T3 in quality starts (12) and fourth in strikeouts (123). But he has yet to get anything good going against the Rangers, whom Hernandez will try to defeat for the first time Wednesday when the Mariners and Texas meet in the second game of their three-game series.

Hernandez has made two starts against the Texas this year and is 0-2, 5.84. For his career, Hernandez is 12-18 with a 3.87 ERA in 36 career starts, including 5-8, 4.35 in 16 starts at Rangers Ballpark.

In those 36 starts against Texas, Hernandez has been dinged for 21 home runs. Only the Angels, with 25, have taken him deep more often.

Hernandez’s opposite Wednesday, Derek Holland, will make his 15th career start against Seattle and is developing into a major Mariners nemesis. He’s 8-2, 3.39 lifetime against them, including 1-0, 0.00 this season. Holland defeated Seattle May 25 at Safeco Field, striking out 10.

Holland probably won’t require a lot of run support against Seattle, which had an uncharacteristic offensive outburst in a 9-2 win over the Rangers Tuesday, but has been outscored 52-34 this season by the Rangers. A closer look:

WEDNESDAY’S PROBABLES

MARINERS: RHP Felix Hernandez (8-4, 2.70 ERA, 1.09 WHIP)

The 27-year-old Hernandez, in his ninth major league season, all with Seattle, will make his 18th start and third against the Rangers. With an 0-2 record and 5.84 ERA, Hernandez is still looking for his first win against Texas. Hernandez is coming off a pair of no-decisions against the Angels and Pirates and hasn’t won since June 15 when he beat Oakland 4-0.

• LAST START: June 26 at Safeco Field, took a no-decision in Seattle’s 4-2 loss to Pittsburgh; 2 earned runs on 6 hits in 7.0 innings; 11 strikeouts, 2 walks, 1 home run, 108 pitches, 69 for strikes.

• LAST VS. RANGERS: May 25, lost 5-2; 5 earned runs on 11 hits in 5.2 innings; 9 strikeouts, 1 walk, 1 home run, 114 pitches, 69 for strikes.

• CAREER VS. RANGERS: 12-18, 3.87 ERA in 36 starts covering 232.2 innings; 207 strikeouts, 70 walks, 21 home runs, 1.28 WHIP.

• AT RANGERS BALLPARK: 5-8, 4.35 ERA in 16 starts covering 97.1 innings; 80 strikeouts, 38 walks, 6 home runs, 1.43 WHIP.

• LOVES TO FACE: Mitch Moreland (5-for-24, .208), A.J. Pierzynski (3-for-37, .216), Ian Kinsler (16-for-69, .232).

• HATES TO FACE: Lance Berkman (5-for-10, .500), Leonys Martin (4-for-10, .400), Adrian Beltre (7-for-22, .318).

• CURRENT RANGERS VS. HERNANDEZ: 99-for-360, .275 BA, 78 strikeouts, 25 walks, 12 home runs, .330 on-base percentage.

RANGERS: LHP Derek Holland (6-4, 3.14 ERA, 1.21 WHIP)

The 26-year-old Holland, a Newark, OH., native in his fifth major league season, all with Texas, will make his 17th start and second against the Mariners. Holland had two losses and two no-decisions heading into his last start, but rebounded with his best game of the year, a 2-0 shutout against the New York Yankees. He’s worked into the sixth inning 12 times.

• LAST START: June 27 vs. New York, won 2-0; allowed two hits over 9.0 innings; 7 strikeouts, 2 walks, 0 home runs, 92 pitches, 63 for strikes.

• LAST VS. MARINERS: May 25 at Safeco Field, won 5-2; 2 runs, 0 earned, on 4 hits in 6.2 innings; 10 strikeouts, 3 walks, 0 home runs, 119 pitches, 77 for strikes.

• CAREER VS. MARINERS: 8-2, 3.39 ERA in 14 games, including 10 starts, covering 71.2 innings; 71 strikeouts, 20 walks, 7 home runs, 1.15 WHIP.

• AT RANGERS BALLPARK: 24-16, 5.08 ERA in 62 games, including 52 starts, covering 329.2 innings; 281 strikeouts, 109 walks, 53 home runs, 1.44 WHIP.

• LOVES TO FACE: Justin Smoak (0-for-11, .000), Dustin Ackley (3-for-17, .176), Brendan Ryan (3-for-16, .188).

• HATES TO FACE: Kyle Seager (4-for-14, .286), Jason Bay (3-for-11, .273).

• CURRENT MARINERS VS. HOLLAND: 29-for-133, .218 BA, 37 strikeouts, 9 walks, 4 home runs, .268 on-base percentage.

MARINERS STATS / NOTES

• CURRENT ROAD TRIP: Three at Texas (Tuesday-Thursday), three at Cincinnati (Friday-Sunday). The Mariners are in the midst of 13 games in 13 days that will take them to the All-Star break.
• Lefty Joe Saunders, who had lost his previous two starts and entered Wednesday’s game 0-7 with a 9.91 ERA in seven regular-season starts in Arlington, won for the first time in eight regular-season outings at Rangers Ballpark. He allowed one earned run and fanned five in 6.2 innings.
• The six RBIs by Kendrys Morales Tuesday matched a career high. His two home runs were his 10th an 11th of the season.
• Raul Ibanez, who hit his 20th homer Tuesday, is nine home runs away from matching the major league record for most home runs in a season by a 41-year-old player, 29 by Ted Williams in 1960.
• Ibanez, who has six homers in his past eight games, has already exceeded the 19 he hit all of last season. He is the first Mariner to hit 20 homers before the All-Star break since Russell Branyan hit 22 in 2009.
• Thirty-six of the Mariners 83 games have been decided by two or fewer runs. The Mariners are 16-20 in those games. They have played 12 extra-inning affairs and are 5-7 in those contests.
• Kyle Seager leads the Mariners in hits (87) and walks (28). The Mariners have not had a player lead the team in both categories since 1995 when Edgar Martinez did it.
• According to STATs Inc., Ibanez, 41 years old, is the oldest American League player to lead a team in homers and RBIs in a calendar month since Dave Winfield achieved the feat with the Twins in 1993.
• When the Mariners play at Cincinnati Sunday, they will face Homer Bailey, who threw a no-hitter against San Francisco Tuesday, beating Seattle native Tim Lincecum.

UPCOMING PROBABLES