Mariners' Emerson Hancock makes baseball history not done since Felix Hernandez's perfect game

Emerson Hancock made his first start of the season on Sunday night in a national spotlight against the Cleveland Guardians.

It could hardly have been more perfect.

Hancock put up stats that hadn't been done by a Seattle Mariners player since Felix Hernandez.

The lanky right-hander went 6.0 innings, struck out nine and didn't allow a hit.

The last time a Mariners pitcher put up that combination of statistics? When Felix Hernandez threw a perfect game.

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Obviously, these outings weren't created exactly equal.

Hancock wasn't perfect. He had walked a batter and hit another.

Besides, Hancock only lasted six innings, not nine. But he was never going to go the distance here.

The first start after Spring Training was already a little long, getting to 97 pitches. It made sense for the Mariners to pull Hancock.

Still, when you align the stats right, he hearkens back to that special King Felix start, and that's cool enough to make it worth thinking about.

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