Author: SPNW Staff

For his home run tear last week, Brad Miller has won the American League’s Player of the Week award, becoming the second Mariner to take the award this season.

Takeaway After turning his ankle in the sixth, Felix Hernandez struggled through one of the roughest innings of his season. The two-run frame turned into a 4-2 loss (box score) to the Boston Red Sox – the first loss for Hernandez (6-1).

With second-leading scorer Obafemi Martins sidelined with a bruised shin until at least next week, Chad Barrett took over Martins’ role and notched his first two goals of the season as the Sounders overwhelmed the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0 Saturday night. The Sounders (6-3-1) recorded their first victory over Vancouver since 2013 and their first (1-2-3)

Former Mariners outfielder Milton Bradley has begun serving a 32-month sentence in Los Angeles for domestic violence and abuse against his deceased ex-wife, Monique.

Takeaway Nobody at Safeco Field Friday night thought the Boston Red Sox were going to pitch to Nelson Cruz with two outs in the ninth inning, but that’s exactly what manager John Farrell opted to do (box score). Cruz’s two-out single into the gap scored Brad Miller easily from second base for a 2-1 Mariners

Connor Halliday, who set numerous passing records at Washington State University before suffering a career-ending broken ankle last fall against USC, has apparently abandoned his goal of playing in the NFL. Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Washington Redskins, Halliday did not participate in the team’s rookie mini-camp activities Friday and abruptly left

Takeaway The Fernando Rodney Experience was overshadowed by a left field fiasco when Mookie Betts delivered the game-winning sacrifice fly Thursday night in the Mariners’ 2-1 loss (box score) to the Red Sox in the opener of a four-game series at Safeco Field.

Earl Averill Jr., son of the namesake baseball Hall of Famer, died Wednesday night in a Tacoma hospital at age 84. He spent seven seasons in the major leagues.

Bruce Irvin, miffed that the Seahawks did not pick up his fifth-year option, said he wants to play for the Atlanta Falcons — and will be doing just that in 2016.

Takeaway An exciting first inning paved the way for a drama-free night at the ballpark . . .  and that was a good thing for the 16,000-plus Mariners fans who showed up Tuesday night. Seattle led 4-0 after the first inning, 7-0 after six, and hit six home runs on the way to a comfortable