Ted S. Warren / AP

Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez celebrates his first career no-hitter Wednesday. Hernandez stuck out 12.

Riding down in a crowded elevator after the game, Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik jokingly held his cell phone to his ear and said "no, we're not trading Felix."

It was the second no-hitter this season for the Mariners — doubling the franchise's total entering the year — and third total at Safeco Field after the park went more than a dozen years without one. After Humber's perfect game, a six-pack of Seattle pitchers tossed a combined no-hitter against the Dodgers in June.

"He never did struggle. He kept making good pitches the whole way through," Jaso said. "The last at-bat of the game, falling down 2-0, he just kept his confidence. It was great."

The six no-hitters is two shy of the record set in 1884, one short of the total in each of the 1990 and 1991 seasons.

"Hard to believe. It's hard to believe. Hard to believe, too," baseball Commissioner Bud Selig said. "Struck out five of the last six hitters. That's pretty good."

Unlike Cain's perfect game in June, Hernandez didn't need the help of a career-high in strikeouts or spectacular catches.

Hernandez cruised through the first five innings with little trouble. The most concerning moment may have been Sam Fuld's deep fly ball to right center leading off the game that Eric Thames tracked down on the edge of the warning track. Longoria's line drive leading off the fifth eluded Hernandez's glove but was directly at second baseman Dustin Ackley.

Hernandez struck out the side in the sixth, retiring Rodriguez on a check swing to finish the inning and ending the frame having thrown just 69 pitches. Fuld tapped out to second to open the seventh and B.J. Upton grounded out to shortstop for the second out.

After Maddon's ejection, Joyce worked the count to 3-2, Hernandez's third three-ball count, and hit an inning-ending groundout.

Seattle didn't do much in the bottom of the seventh, but it was a long inning for Hernandez on the bench, extended even further by Ryan's nine-pitch at-bat that culminated in an inning-ending grounder.

The wait didn't hamper Hernandez, who struck out Longoria on a biting breaking ball to start the eighth. With chants of "Let's Go Felix!" from the crowd, Hernandez struck out Zobrist. The chant grew in volume as Hernandez got ahead 1-2 to Pena and he finished off his second inning striking of striking out the side with a punchout of Pena.

It was the fifth time this season Hernandez has struck out 10 or more. Most of his outs were on the infield with only five fly ball outs.

"You could throw any lineup out there today and it's close to the same result," Jaso said.

Seattle's only run came thanks to the aggressive baserunning of Ryan. He led off the third with his first hit in 10 at-bats against Jeremy Hellickson (7-8) with a sharp single to left. He was still standing at first with two outs when he got a great jump on a curveball that bounced in the dirt and escaped Lobaton. Ryan never hesitated at second and made it all the way to third. He then jogged home when Jesus Montero followed with a single to left for the only run.

NOTES: There have been seven no-hitters in a season twice since 1900. It happened in 1990 and again in 1991, with Nolan Ryan throwing two in those days. ... Seattle's previous individual no-hitter came when Chris Bosio shut down Boston on April 22, 1993. Seattle's other no-hitter was thrown by Randy Johnson against Detroit on June 2, 1990. ... Tampa Bay was no-hit for the fifth time in franchise history. ... Maddon's ejection was his second of the season. ... Maddon said the team plans to keep INF Luke Scott on his rehab assignment in the minors through the weekend. Scott has been on the DL with an oblique strain.

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