Seattle has stumbled into August, losing six of its last 10 games, and Felix Hernandez could deliver a huge feel-good victory for his team tonight.

Already an 11-game winner and the ace of a young, retooled rotation, Henandez has never had consistent success against Texas - he's 5-9 against the Rangers with a 4.13 career earned run average.

Behind him, the Mariners have stacked five left-handed hitters in their lineup against right-hander Tommy Hunter.

One win doesn't break a slump, but if Felix wins, it sets a tone and takes pressure off the men who follow him in the rotation. Win tonight, the Mariners can still split the series. Lose, and Ian Snell pitches to prevent a sweep.

It's Hernandez vs. Hunter.

Junior hits No. 622

Ichiro singled, Lopez walked and with one out Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 11th of the season to center field.

Not just runs but dramatic runs - a Mariners show of power in a series where it seemed all the long balls had been hit by Rangers.

In the first: Mariners 3, Rangers 0

Pitching and defense

Given that lead, Felix walked the first man he faced, gave up a single to the next and, with one out, had runners at second and third base.

Marlon Byrd flied to right field, Omar Vizquel tried to score and Ichiro threw him out on a close play at the plate.

Junior again!

Felix left the bases loaded in the second and is clearly feeling his way.

Griffey Jr., meanwhile, added a doublein the third inning and scoreed on Jack Hannahan's RBI single.
With two outs, Ryan Lanfgerhans tripled home Jack Wilson, who'd been aboard on a fielders choice.

In the third: Mariners 5, Rangers 0

Rangers thunder

Felix has been fighting himself and the Rangers all night, and Nelson Cruz just crushed a home run into the Seattle bullpen that nearly took out the whole staff.

It's only one run, but it was impressive.

After four: Mariners 5, Rangers 1

Not the Felix you know

He's through five innings and has allowed one run, but Hernandez is off tonight.

Evidence? At one point in the fifth, he'd throw 64 pitches - 33 strikes, 31 balls. That's not the kind of control Felix usually wins with.

Still, he's getting help. Russell Branyan caught a line drive and turned it into another double play, stepping on the bag to catch Elvis Andrus.

Adding on

Ichiro's second infield single was followed with a one-out, hit-and-run double by Jose Lopez that scored Ichiro from first base.

It was the 58th RBI of the season for Lopez, who leads the team, and the 58th run scored by Ichiro.

In the sixth: Mariners 6, Rangers 1

Ranger stay within range

Byrd doubled and with two outs, Cruz drove him in.

Hernandez has thrown 89 pitches in six innings and been in constant trouble. He'll probably start the seventh inning, but may not get beyond that.

After six: Mariners 6, Rangers 2

Holding on

Mariners left the bases loaded in the seventh, when Ichiro and Branyan each struck out - and Felix is in trouble again in the bottom half.

A leadoff double, followed by a hit batter? Hernandez has gotten this far on grit and some luck - six hits, four walks and a hit batter.

Felix got out of it by catching a line drive at his head. That was the last pitch he'll throw tonight.

After seven: Mariners 6, Rangers 2
Mr. Lopez helps the cause

When Felix pitches, Lopez hits just a little better.

Leading off the eighth inning, Lopez hit his 15th home run - and the fifth in 74 at-bas in games Hernandez has started.

Griffey, meanwhile, now has a single, double and home run tonight. All he needs are extra innings and a miracle to hit for the cycle.

Mark Lowe coming in to pitch.

In the eighth: Mariners 7, Rangers 2

And in the end
With the big lead, Lowe finished up Felix's 12th win and the Mariners 54th of the season.

It's final: Mariners 7, Rangers 2

Luke French knew what he wanted in life by the time he was in fifth grade - when he wrote out a timeline that had him pitching for the Seattle Mariners.

"They were my favorite team, they had Griffey and Randy Johnson and Jay Buhner," French said today. "When the Tigers told me I'd been traded to Seattle, my first thought was 'awesome!'"

French, 23, was acquired in Friday's Jarrod Washburn trade, and he was added to the Mariners 25-man roster at the expense of first baseman Chris Shelton, who was designated for assignment.

"I was a little surprised, but not much," Shelton said. "Adrian Beltre is coming back in a few days, and I thought I might go then. I'll go home to Salt Lake City and wait. If another team picks me up, great. If not, I'll probably go back to Tacoma and finish the season."

French, a left-hander who will slide into the rotation on Wednesday in Kansas City, said he's already feeling at home with the Mariners - and thrilled to share a clubhouse with Ken Griffey Jr.

Junior, of course, had to have a little fun with a teammate who was in fifth grade in 1995. And he did.

"Mike Sweeney and I were talking when French walked up and stood there near us," Griffey said. "We knew he wanted to introduce himself, so when we were done talking, both of us turned and started to walk away.

"Luke had his hand out and he just stared. Then I turned around and said, 'I'm just bleeping with you.'"

French got a man-hug from one of his idols, then threw a bullpen session.

A fastball-changeup pitcher who relies upon control, French has been throwing a slider for a little more than a full season, and it's become an effective pitch for him.

"John Matlack taught it to me in the Detroit system, and I played with it, trying to find a grip that works," French said. "I found one I like, and I use the pitch a lot."

As for Shelton, the 29-year-old got into nine games with Seattle, batting .231 in 26 at-bats.

"I gave them the best I could in the chances I got," Shelton said. "Those were pretty far and few between, but I tried to be ready whenever they needed me."