Three takeaways from the Mariners’ series-opening win over the Los Angeles Angels

The Seattle Mariners continued their hot start with a 6-3 series-opening win against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night at T-Mobile Park, improving to 6-1 on the season.

Here are three takeaways from the win.

1. VINTAGE FELIX

Relieved of his Opening Day duties this season — after opening the past 10 seasons for the Mariners — Felix Hernandez threw a simulated game last week, missing out on a regular-season start in Japan, and during the home-opening series against Boston.

Mariners manager Scott Servais said he saw “vintage Felix” during that simulated game. He saw more of it Monday night.

The former Seattle ace, now pitching out of the fifth spot in the rotation, worked a solid outing, leaving with a 4-3 lead after 5 1/3, while allowing three runs (one earned) on seven hits, walking none and striking out four. He threw 92 pitches.

The win was Hernandez’s first since a start against the Kansas City Royals last June. He was 0-8 during his final 11 appearances in 2018.

“Really happy for Felix,” Servais said. “It’s been a while since he’s gotten a ‘W’ behind his name. He competed his tail off.

“I thought the big key tonight, was for the most part he was getting ahead in the count. When he does that, he’s obviously, just like any pitcher, more effective. But, I thought his stuff was pretty good. Good changeup there, the last couple innings he was out there.”

2. THE DERBY CONTINUES

Jay Bruce is 3 for 3.

The veteran lefty launched his third home run in as many days over the right-field fence in the seventh inning.

The two-run blast, which landed 426 feet away from home plate and had an exit velocity of 108.4 mph, pushed what was a one-run lead to three, giving the Mariners bullpen some breathing room.

“I feel like I’m seeing the ball well,” Bruce said. “I think when I’m laying off the tough pitches and taking those walks, it’s important for me. But, it’s hard. I have to balance it because I’m an aggressive hitter. It’s more about getting my pitch and not missing.”

Bruce’s third homer of the season was the 16th for Seattle — which is just one home run shy of the club record (18 by the 1998 team) through seven games.

The Mariners have hit at least one long ball in every game, and have combined to score 28 of their league-leading 54 runs off of homers.

3. ERRORS PILE UP

The Mariners pace the majors in a lot of categories — and one of them isn’t a number they want.

Through seven games, the Mariners have piled up a league-leading 13 errors, including the four they recorded Monday.

“We’ve still got some work to do on defense,” Servais said. “There’s some sloppiness there. Guys are out of position a little bit. Jay Bruce hasn’t played a ton of first base, and Ryon Healy at third, but they’ve got to keep working, and we’ve got to keep getting better.”

The first came on a Domingo Santana bobbled ball in the second inning. The second on a Healy overthrow from third to first in the third inning.

And catcher Omar Narvaez recorded two in the fourth — on a missed catch on a relay to home plate, and a throw trying to stop a runner from advancing to second.

“It sounds simple,” Servais said. “Certainly the game gets sped up a little bit when you’ve got guys that don’t have an overwhelming amount of experience at those spots, but still, it’s the big leagues, we’ve got to get better.

“We’ll continue to get out there early and work. … It does have to get cleaned up.”

This story was originally published April 1, 2019 at 11:55 PM.