HOUSTON (AP) — Felix Hernandez vowed Saturday that his first-ever stint in Seattle’s bullpen won’t last long.“I’ll be a starter before the end of the year http://www.redsoxproshops.com/authentic-andrew-benintendi-jersey ,” Hernandez told The Associated Press. “No question about it.”The struggling Mariners ace has made 398 career starts in 14 seasons, never once pitching in relief. He was bumped from the rotation on Thursday night, the latest setback in a tough year in which he has a career-high 5.73 ERA and is 0-4 in his last five starts.For the longtime face of this franchise, it was difficult to digest the team’s decision to have him pitch in relief and he said it took him a couple of days to come to terms with it. Conversations with family and friends and encouragement from his wife Sandra, who he has been with since he was 14, helped.“My wife is here. She flew here,” Hernandez said. “We had a good conversation. And she told me: ‘Just go out there and be the leader that you’ve been all these years. Be you. Be you.'”And that, Hernandez said, is exactly what he plans to do. Though the 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner sees this only as a temporary setback, he’s prepared to embrace his new role for the good of a team that’s in contention to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2001.“I’m just part of the team and I’m going to do whatever’s possible to help the team Luis Tiant Jersey ,” he said.The 32-year-old Hernandez is 8-10 with a 5.73 ERA in 23 starts for a Mariners team chasing a playoff spot.Hernandez, who has the fourth-most starts in MLB history without a relief appearance, has spent two games in the bullpen, but has yet to appear in a game. He shared his first impressions of the experience.“It’s boring. I’m telling you,” he said with a laugh.Both nights he’s trotted with closer Edwin Diaz to the bullpen in left-center field at Minute Maid Park, where the Mariners are playing the AL West-leading Astros. Hernandez said he’s picked his brain about relieving, but he’s far from the only one he’s reached out to for advice on the move.“I’ve been talking with everyone in the bullpen him, Alex Colome, everybody,” he said. “(They said) just go out there and have fun.”Hernandez pointed out that he’s appeared in the All-Star game several times out of the bullpen http://www.redsoxproshops.com/authentic-mitch-moreland-jersey , but admitted that he “might need some time” to get warmed up to enter a game.He said the team didn’t tell him anything specific that they need to see from him for him to get his starting job back, but he knows that he’ll have to improve his fastball command to turn things around.“The problem is my location of the fastball,” he said. “If I locate my fastball, I’ll be good because I’ve got many weapons to go out there and have good games so I have to locate my fastball.”Hernandez said he believes the problem is mechanical and said he’s trying several different things to try and get back on track.When facing reporters following his recent tough starts, including his last one against Texas in which he allowed a career-high 11 runs — seven of them earned — he seemed discouraged and a bit down.It was a different Hernandez who spoke on Saturday. It wasn’t quite the King Felix who threw a perfect game in 2012 and led the AL in ERA in both 2010 and 2014. But there were unmistakable notes of the swagger and bravado that were hallmarks of the presence he had on the mound when he was one of the game’s most dominant pitchers.He smiled easily and ****ed jokes, his glossy ringlets bouncing around as he laughed. He said instead of getting mad about the move or letting it hurt his feelings, he’s using it as motivation.“All it does is encourage me to get back,” he said before flashing one last smile. CINCINNATI (AP) — San Francisco Giants pitcher Casey Kelly had a big fan in the Cincinnati dugout — his dad, Pat, is the Reds bench coach.Starting two days after pitching in relief Tony Conigliaro Jersey , Kelly worked into the fifth inning Friday night. The Reds eventually won, 2-1 on a leadoff home run by Phillip Ervin in the 11th inning.Ervin connected against Ray Black (2-2) for a drive over the center field fence for his third homer of the season. It was his first walkoff home run since his sophomore year at Samford against Auburn.“It’s exciting. It’s a great feeling,” Ervin said. “I knew it had a chance.”The 28-year-old Kelly limited the Reds to one run in 4 1/3 innings despite giving up nine hits and a walk.Kelly threw 1 1/3 innings against the Dodgers on Wednesday night. When the Giants put pitcher Dereck Rodriguez on the disabled list Thursday, Kelly was tabbed for his 10th big league start, and first since May 22, 2016, with Atlanta.“As a starting pitcher, you always want to finish five or six innings,” he said. “You want to go as deep into the game as possible.”Kelly and his dad saluted each other before things got going.“Once I threw that first pitch, it was me against the Reds Rafael Devers Jersey ,” he said.Kelly made his major league debut with San Diego in 2012. He’s been sidelined with Tommy John surgery, and this was his third outing for the Giants.“He got into traffic, but he kept his poise,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said.“Kelly did a nice job under the circumstances, coming back on one days’ rest,” he said.Among the Reds that Kelly faced was All-Star Scooter Gennett, a former high school teammate. Gennett finished with three hits.David Hernandez (5-0) struck out two in a perfect 11th inning as the Reds ended a four-game losing streak.Andrew McCutchen had three of San Francisco’s eight hits.Cincinnati starter Anthony DeSclafani pitched a season-high 7 2/3 innings, giving up six hits and one run with one walk and five strikeouts. He retired 11 consecutive batters from the fifth into the eighth.DeSclafani has pitched seven or more innings in each of his three starts with two wins and Friday’s no-decision.“I know I’m capable of pitching into the seventh or eighth inning,” the right-hander said. “It is good to string three or four good starts together. I’m feeling comfortable right now. I’m focused on locating pitches.”The Giants’ bullpen turned in 5 2/3 shutout innings before Ervin’s blast.The Reds took a 1-0 lead in the second when Tucker Barnhart doubled and Curt Casali singled. The Giants tied it in the third on Steven Duggar’s leadoff double, Kelly’s sacrifice and McCutchen’s single.BACK ON TOPReds CF Billy Hamilton batted leadoff for the first time since April 26 against Atlanta. He had made 62 consecutive starts batting ninth.WHO’S ON FIRST?Barnhart http://www.redsoxproshops.com/authentic-j.-d.-martinez-jersey , Cincinnati’s Gold Glover behind the plate, made the first start of his career at a position other than catcher, manning first base in place of the injured Joey Votto.TRAINER’S ROOMGiants: RHP Jeff Samardzija threw 50 pitches to batters while getting up and down three times before the game. He’ll be evaluated on Saturday and could go on a rehab assignment Wednesday, manager Bruce Bochy said. Samardzija has been on the disabled list since July 15 with right shoulder inflammation.Reds: Votto went on the 10-day disabled list with a right lower leg contusion, the result of being hit by Ryan Madson’s pitch in Washington on Aug. 4.UP NEXTGiants: LHP Madison Bumgarner (4-4) is 1-2 with a 4.18 ERA in six games at Great American Ball Park.Reds: RHP Matt Harvey (5-7) went seven innings in his last start for the first time since April 21, 2017, for the Mets.