SEATTLE, April 22 (UPI) -- Cy Young Award winner Felix Hernandez returned to his typical form Thursday with eight strikeouts while leading the Seattle Mariners to a 1-0 win over Oakland.
Hernandez (2-2) gave up 18 hits and nine earned runs in 11 innings over his previous two starts, but he shut down the Athletics and was then backed up by clutch relief pitching.
He allowed four hits over 7 2/3 innings before being replaced by Jamie Wright, who retired Conor Jackson on a ground ball to end the eighth.
Brandon League came on in the ninth and gave up a leadoff single. League then retired the next three batters while not allowing a ball out of the infield and earned his fourth save.
Adam Kennedy produced the game's lone run with a fourth-inning homer.
Brandon McCarthy (1-1) was the hard-luck loser. He went the distance, giving up just four hits and striking out six.
