Hunter hit the mound without his best fastball and was knocked around for five runs on seven hits while walking three in five innings. He also hit a batter and threw a wild pitch.
"Tommy just didn't have his location tonight," manager Ron Washington said. "They made him throw some pitches."
"I had a changeup and a curve, but I didn't have a fastball tonight," said Hunter. "I didn't locate my fastball. That's the first thing you do in baseball as a pitcher."
Warner Madrigal offered little in the way of relief, allowing another run on four hits and a walk in just 1 1/3 innings.
Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. turned back the clock for the night hammering the Rangers to the tune of 3-for-5 with a single, a double & a 3-run homer, the 622nd of his career. Tommy Hunter became the 400th different pitcher to allow a homerun to Griffey since his debut back in 1989.
Mariners starter Felix Hernandez, much like Tommy Hunter, didn't have his best stuff on the night, but Texas was never able to really take advantage. Despite a big night from Nelson Cruz, who went 3-for-4 while hitting his 25th homer of the season, Texas went just 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, never putting any real pressure on Hernandez.
"We had Hernandez on the ropes," Washington said. "It might have been different if we got a few hits early. Hernandez didn't have his [best stuff] either."
"That's what I thought after I saw him in the first inning," Cruz said. "He didn't have much control, and we didn't take advantage. We gotta get walks and make things happen."
Hernandez, despite picking up the win, was also very aware he dodged a bullet.
"I don't know how I allowed just two runs," Hernandez said. "That is hard to believe. I am disappointed with my performance today. I don't know, I just felt terrible. I was all over the place."
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On an evening when Texas made several pre-game roster moves (Ian Kinsler and Jason Grilli to the 15-day DL, called up top pitching prospect Neftali Feliz) it was a move made by manager Ron Washington that may have been the biggest of the night. Washington, suddenly short of arms, was forced to roll Scott Feldman out on only 3 days rest. Not only was Feldman pitching on short rest, he was also coming off his worst start of the season in which he was unable to get out of the 3rd inning.
But on Saturday night, Feldman was back to his old self, giving Texas seven innings of work, picking up his 10th win of the year.
"Feldman did a good job bouncing back," manager Ron Washington said. "[His sinker] was working pretty well. He's a ground-ball pitcher. If batters aren't squaring it up, that's how you know he's pitching well.
"He wasn't getting enough ground balls [in his last outing]. If you take the ball 16, 17, 18 times, that happens. He went out there and he gave us an opportunity to get to our two best pitchers."
"I thought Feldman was awfully tough," said Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu. "I have seen this kid and he gets better every year. I think you have to tip your hat. He just didn't throw anything over the center of the plate and kept our hitters off balance."
David Murphy homered in the bottom of the 1st, giving Feldman and early lead to work with. Michael Young added another solo homer in the 6tha dn is now hitting .417 since the All-Star break. Feldman's catcher, Jarrod Saltalamacchia tacked on a 2-run blast in the 7th to cap the scoring and pput Texas up for good.
Texas is now 36-12 this season when they hit multiple homeruns.
The four runs proved to be more than enough for Frank Francisco who, making his first appearance since his latest stint on the DL, dominated the 8th inning, not allowing a baserunner while striking out two batters.
"He looked outstanding," Washington said. "One-two-three inning. He used his pitches. We're happy to have him back."
C.J. Wilson pitched the 9th, also striking out two batters on his way to his 13th save this season.
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