ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Felix Hernandez didnt get the win. His dominant performance put the Seattle Mariners in position for victory, though. Hernandez struck out a career-high 15 in seven innings before Endy Chavez keyed a five-run ninth with a tiebreaking RBI single, leading the Mariners to a 5-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. When asked what was working, Hernandez said "everything." "It was fun to go out there," he said. Rays manager Joe Maddon felt Hernandez was better than his perfect game against Tampa Bay on Aug. 15, 2012. "That changeup was a fastball until the last moment, then it became a changeup," Maddon said. "The man was outstanding." Ten of Hernandezs 12 swinging strikeouts came on changeups. James Jones had a two-run triple for the Mariners, who have won seven of eight. Hernandez had won his previous five starts, which was two away from tying the team record held by Jamie Moyer (2003) and Scott Bankhead (1989), but the Mariners were held scoreless until the ninth by Chris Archer and two relievers. King Felix scattered four hits. He remains winless at Tropicana Field, going 0-2 in four starts. "One of these days," Hernandez said with a smile. After Brad Miller hit a two-out triple and Willie Bloomquist walked against Grant Balfour (0-2), the left-handed hitting Chavez slapped a two-strike single to left for a 1-0 lead. Jones had his triple before Kyle Seager added a two-run double. "After watching that for about the last eight, nine years, its not lucky anymore," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said of Chavezs hit. "I think its talent. Ive seen him do it time and time again." Yoervis Medina (3-1) threw a scoreless eighth for the win. Hernandez reached 1,800 career strikeouts when he struck out Evan Longoria to end the third. Hernandez struck out six through three innings, and 11 though five. This was the right-handers 29th double-digit strikeout performance, which moved him past Mark Langston into sole possession of second place on the Mariners career list. Archer gave up five hits over 6 1-3 scoreless innings. He is just 1-1 over his last five starts despite allowing just three runs in 31 innings. "The young man is pretty special," said McClendon about Archer. "Thats what you call a game for the purist." Tampa Bay has lost 12 of 13. The Mariners loaded the bases with one out in the fifth, but failed to score. Archer got a forceout at the plate after making a stumbling grab on Jones comebacker before left fielder Matt Joyce made a one-handed at the wall on Robinson Canos opposite-field drive. Cano extended his road hitting streak to 17 games with a one-out infield single in the eighth. NOTES: Maddon on Balfours status as the ninth-inning man: "Hes our closer as of today. Even if I was going to change anything, I wouldnt tell you guys." ... After Mondays game at Tampa Bay, the Mariners return home Tuesday night to open a three-game series with a terrific pitching matchup. RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (4-2, 2.66 ERA) and Yankees RHP Masahiro Tanaka (9-1, 2.02 ERA), former teammates with Rakuten of Japans Pacific League, are the scheduled starters. "Thats a match up that I would pay to see," McClendon said. "I think it will be a dandy." ... Rays RHP Jeremy Hellickson (elbow) felt fine one day after his first rehab start Saturday with Single-A Charlotte. He expects to be back before the All-Star break. ... Mariners OF Michael Saunders (sore right shoulder) and 1B Justin Smoak (sore left leg) were both out of the lineup for the second straight game. Smoak entered in the ninth as defensive replacement, while Saunders could return in the next few days. ... Seattle LHP Erasmo Ramirez (1-4) is scheduled to go against Rays LHP David Price (4-5) in Mondays series finale. 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Now, it is instead a suspended game that will resume at 4:05 p.SAN FRANCISCO - In the middle of a champagne-and-beer-soaked clubhouse after the San Francisco Giants won the NL Championship Series, Tim Hudson was given the chance to speak to his team.The message was as simple as Hudsons approach on the mound: World Series, baby!After 16 years, 214 regular-season wins and seven failed trips to the post-season, Hudson has finally made it to baseballs biggest stage at age 39.Hudson is set to take the mound Friday night for the Giants when they return home to face Jeremy Guthrie and the Royals in Game 3 of the World Series after a two-game split in Kansas City.Its almost a sense of relief that its finally here, that what Ive hoped and dreamed for throughout my career is finally here, and theres not going to be anybody on the field thats more ready than I am tomorrow night, Hudson said Thursday.Hudsons brilliant career began on the other side of San Francisco Bay as he helped Oakland make four straight trips to the post-season that ended with Game 5 losses in the division series.Hudson got back to the playoffs with Atlanta, losing in the division series in 2005 to Houston and 2010 to San Francisco. The Braves made it again last year when Hudson was hurt but lost again in the division series.After signing a $23 million, two-year contract this off-season with San Francisco, Hudson finally got to experience post-season success.You often wonder, is it ever going to happen? Obviously, last year the way my season ended with my ankle injury, things looked a little bleak there for a few moments, Hudson said. But Im just really lucky.Hudson got no-decisions in his first two post-season starts, allowing five runs in 13 2-3 innings against Washington and St. Louis.The limited work of late has paid dividends. Hudson looks much fresher than he did in September when he went 0-4 with an 8.72 ERA in five starts to end the season while dealing with a bum hip. He finished the season with a 9-13 record for his first losing campaign ever.Its hard enough to play this game when youre healthy, but when youre pitching and your hips bothering you a little bit — and hes a warrior, managerr Bruce Bochy said.dddddddddddd. He was never complaining. He was never making excuses, but it was a fact. I think it was affecting him a little bit.Guthrie had a long wait just to get to the playoffs. He made his first post-season appearance at age 35 when he allowed one run in five innings of a no-decision against Baltimore in Game 3 of the ALCS.That start is Guthries only outing the past four weeks; he did not pitch in the division series sweep against the Angels. So Guthrie has done his best to stay sharp with side work instead of pitching in games.He has also spent time serving as a translator for some of Kansas Citys Spanish-speaking players. Guthrie completed a Mormon mission to Spain when he was in college, not picking up a baseball for two years.But Guthrie revived his career when he returned and transferred to Stanford, becoming a first-round pick in 2002 and eventually a major leaguer.He said he learned at Stanford the importance of going deep into games — something that was most evident when he went 13 innings to beat Cal-State Fullerton in the NCAA tournament his final year there.Four days before the draft, Scott Boras my agent, or adviser at that time, was there, and I dont think he was anticipating or hoping for 13 innings that close to the draft, Guthrie said. But it was 147 pitches. Again, it was a reflection of competing to the end, its yours to win, and watching kind of the pitchers pitch by pitch, and seeing how theyre doing versus kind of letting the number dictate when they were going to be taken out.With a stellar bullpen led by Greg Holland, Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis behind him in Kansas City, Guthrie knows he wont be asked to go that deep on a team that has had only one starter pitch into the seventh this post-season.Thats been the result, but were out there trying to get as deep as we can, Guthrie said. For us to win a game without having to throw all three of our relievers at the back end, Kelvin, and Wade, and Greg, will only give our team a better chance to win throughout the series.___AP Baseball Writer Janie McCauley contributed to this report. ' ' '