G128: Mariners 4, Red Sox 2

Mariners - 102 001 000 - 4  9  2
Red Sox  - 001 001 000 - 2  5  1

Hernandez (7.1-4-2-1-9, 122) was too much for the Sox bats and Wakefield (5.2-8-4-0-2, 91).

Boston got a third-inning run on Ryan Kalsih's double, an infield error, and wild pitch. J.D. Drew homered in the sixth.

The Sox had a shot at tying the game in the eighth. Pinch-hitter Ball Hall doubled and Drew walked with one out. Brandon League relieved Felix -- and got Victor Martinez on a grounder to first and David Ortiz on a line drive to left. Mike Lowell singled to start the bottom of the ninth, but Daniel Nava hit into a double play and Jed Lowrie flew out.

The Rays lost to the Angels 12-3 and the Yankees lost to the Blue Jays 6-3. Tampa Bay and New York remain tied for first in the East, with Boston 5.5 GB. ... The Red Sox are off on Thursday before starting a weekend series in Tampa Bay.

Felix Hernandez / Jon Lester Tim Wakefield

Scutaro, SS
Drew, RF
Martinez, 1B
Ortiz, DH
Beltre, 3B
Nava, LF
Lowrie, 2B
Kalish, CF
Cash, C

This afternoon's win was Boston's fourth in a row. The Red Sox had not won four consecutive games since winning six straight in mid-June (June 15-20).

In 14 starts since June 13, Hernandez has a 1.54 ERA -- and only a 6-5 record. Two starts ago, on August 15 at Cleveland, he allowed six runs, all unearned. (Which may not be entirely fair. The error came with two outs and no one on; after it, Felix allowed a single, single, double, intentional walk, and a grand slam home run.)