Another quality start for King Felix, another homer for Smoak in Seattle’s 3-1 win at Texas

Hernandez, Smoak lead Mariners over Rangers 3-1

ARLINGTON, Texas — Felix Hernandez allowed only one run over eight innings and Justin Smoak hit the tiebreaking homer to lead the last-place Seattle Mariners past the AL West champion Texas Rangers 3-1 Tuesday night.

Hernandez (13-12) became the first pitcher since Randy Johnson in 2002 and only the seventh since 1980 to have a season with 30 quality starts (three earned runs or fewer while pitching at least six innings). The right-hander lowered his AL-best ERA to 2.27 in what might have been his last start of the season.

Smoak, traded to Seattle on July 9 as part of the deal that sent left-hander Cliff Lee to the Rangers, hit a two-run homer in the fourth off Scott Feldman (7-11) to snap a 1-1 tie. The rookie first baseman’s 12th homer of the season was his second in as many nights against his former team.

Rangers manager Ron Washington opted to rest some of his regulars, giving third baseman Michael Young, shortstop Elvis Andrus, second baseman Ian Kinsler and designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero the night off.

Texas slugger Josh Hamilton, the majors’ leading hitter (.361), has been out since Sept. 4 with two broken ribs. The outfielder took some swings in the batting cage and shagged some balls during batting practice before the game and hopes to play this weekend.

Hernandez struck out five and walked two while pitching into at least the seventh inning for the 25th consecutive start, extending his club record. He is 6-3 with an 0.96 ERA (eight earned runs over 75 1-3 innings) his past 10 starts. The Mariners haven’t said if Hernandez will start their season finale Sunday, listing the starter for that game as undecided.

Brandon League worked the ninth for his sixth save in 12 chances, and his second in a row against Texas.

Ichiro Suzuki led off the game with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Franklin Gutierrez.

Smoak’s 413-foot homer onto the hill in straightaway center field came after Jose Lopez drew a walk to lead off the fourth.

Lopez left the game in the sixth after a hard-hit grounder to third base ricocheted off his throwing hand. Lopez immediately started shaking his right hand and even looked down at his fingers while retrieving the ball without throwing it. Nelson Cruz was credited with an infield single.

Lopez was grimacing in pain when he walked to the dugout. The team said he dislocated the tip of his middle finger.

The Rangers got their only run in the third on an RBI single by David Murphy, who had two of Texas’ five hits. Bengie Molina also had two hits.

Feldman, the opening day starter who was later moved to the bullpen, allowed three runs and five hits over 4 1-3 innings.

With the Rangers planning to go with a three-man starting rotation of Lee, left-hander C.J. Wilson and right-hander Colby Lewis in the playoffs, Tommy Hunter will likely work out of the bullpen. In preparation for that, Hunter made his first relief appearance in the majors leagues, striking out one of the two batters he faced after relieving Feldman.

Notes: The Rangers will have to win their final five games to reach 92 wins — the mark that team president and co-owner Nolan Ryan had set as a goal before the season. But more important, they already have their first division title since 1999. … Mariners INF Mike Carp has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a partially torn plantar fascia in his right foot. He sustained the injury running out a double Saturday at Tampa Bay. … Murphy is 13 for 31 his past eight games.