Through the first few weeks of the season, it has proven challenging for the Seattle Mariners to get key situational hitting to go along with their solid rotation and strong bullpen.

Some of that timely hitting came around Friday night.

George Kirby allowed two runs in six solid innings, Teoscar Hernández homered, doubled and scored three times, and the Mariners beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2.

Seattle snapped a three-game losing streak behind another excellent start from its young right-hander and a busy day at the plate from its right fielder.

Hernández doubled in his first at-bat and scored on Jarred Kelenic’s soft single. Hernández followed in the fourth inning with his fourth homer of the season to center field off St. Louis starter Steven Matz.

And he reached base during Seattle’s three-run sixth inning despite striking out.

Hernández whiffed at Drew VerHagen’s breaking ball in the dirt, but the wild pitch eluded catcher Willson Contreras and allowed Hernández to reach, loading the bases after Julio Rodríguez and Eugenio Suarez walked earlier in the inning.

Matz (0-3) allowed four hits, four runs and struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings.

UP NEXT

Cardinals RHP Miles Mikolas (0-1, 8.10) has allowed nine or more hits and at least five earned runs in three of four starts. Mikolas allowed two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings in his last start against Pittsburgh. Mariners RHP Luis Castillo (2-0, 0.73) has allowed two earned runs in 24 2/3 innings pitched this season. Castillo threw seven shutout innings of two-hit ball in his last start against Colorado.