Late win stretches Mariners' lead

Central Coast Mariners have opened up a nine-point gap at the top of the A-League with a last-gasp 1-0 win at Melbourne Heart.

Melbourne dominated much of the game at AAMI Park and were unlucky not to go in front in the first half when Alex Terra saw a 25-yard drive hit the post.

Central Coast keeper Matthew Ryan was also in inspired form, denying the hosts on a number of occasions before Adam Kwasnik snatched victory when he converted Michael McClinchey's delivery a minute from time.

Meanwhile, Adam Hughes' late strike denied Sydney FC all three points and extended Perth Glory's unbeaten run to five games with a 1-1 draw at Campbelltown Sports Stadium. Sydney went in front just before the interval when Mark Bridge got on the end of Nick Carle's cross.

Carle then missed an open goal six minutes into the second period and Sydney were made to pay two minutes from the end as Hughes headed home Evan Berger's corner.

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Mariners move level, Victory held

Central Coast Mariners moved level on points with A-League leaders Brisbane Roar thanks to a 2-0 victory over fierce rivals Newcastle Jets at Bluetongue Stadium in Gosford.

In a performance that delighted the 10,643 home fans, the Mariners led 1-0 at half-time courtesy of a 25th-minute Rostyn Griffiths strike, and they sealed the points when Matt Simon netted his fourth goal of the season just before the hour.

The lead was twice very nearly extended towards the end but the Jets were saved by the woodwork.

Bernie Ibini smashed a first-time shot against the bar following a good run and cross from Joshua Rose in the 65th minute and then, with time almost up, substitute Daniel McBreen saw his header also crash against the bar.

The win meant the Mariners have now gone seven matches without defeat, picking up 19 out of a possible 21 points.

Three points for Phoenix
Elsewhere, a late Ben Sigmund header earned Wellington Phoenix a 1-0 triumph over Perth Glory. The winner in the 85th minute was the only bright spot in an otherwise scrappy and often ill-tempered encounter at Westpac Stadium, where chances for either side were few and far between.

Phoenix finished the match with ten men after substitute Mirjan Pavlovic was sent off deep into stoppage time for cynically tackling Steve Pantelidis from behind.

Finally, Fabian Barbiero snatched an 82nd-minute equaliser as Adelaide United secured a 1-1 draw against Melbourne Victory at Etihad Stadium.

Victory looked set to take home all three points after Archie Thompson grabbed his fourth goal of the campaign just before the hour, but it was not to be as Barbiero ensured Mehmet Durakovic's men failed to hold a lead for the fourth time in ten outings.

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Hernandez pitches eight strong innings, Mariners top Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Although Felix Hernandez could have talked his way back out for the ninth inning of his second win in a week over the Angels, Seattle's ace couldn't lie to his manager.

Even after getting an extra day of rest, he had already used every ounce of energy to stall the Los Angeles Angels' playoff chase.

Hernandez pitched eight innings of four-hit ball to win at Angel Stadium for the first time since 2006, and the Seattle Mariners snapped a five-game skid with a 2-1 victory over the Angels on Tuesday night.

Hernandez's exceptionally baggy uniform appeared particularly uncomfortable after he pitched through a sultry night in Orange County, striking out seven while giving up two walks and an unearned run. When manager Eric Wedge asked him about finishing the game, even Hernandez didn't think it was a good idea.

"I can't lie, I was a little tired at the end, but it was hot," said Hernandez, who has pitched more than 200 innings for the fourth straight season. "I had to be honest. We had to win this game. It was important to us because we had that five-game losing streak."

After Hernandez retired the final seven batters he faced, Brandon League pitched the ninth for his 33rd save in 38 chances.

Justin Smoak and Kyle Seager scored unearned runs for the Mariners, who had lost 18 of their last 21 games in Anaheim before Hernandez (14-11) outduelled Ervin Santana and silenced the Angels' improved lineup for his sixth victory in eight starts.

Hernandez improbably hadn't won in Anaheim since June 11, 2006 -- also his first career complete game. He has just six victories in 25 career starts against the Mariners' division rivals, but after failing to beat the Angels at all since Sept. 29, 2009, Hernandez has two wins over Los Angeles in seven days, getting an extra day of rest between starts.

On Aug. 31 in Seattle, Hernandez finally beat the Angels for the first time in nine tries, pitching a five-hitter and getting a 2-1 win on Mike Carp's two-out, two-run double in the eighth inning.

"He pitches at a level that very few do, but even at his level, he's been a little bit better lately," said Wedge, whose club stranded 14 runners. "We just didn't get the two-out knocks today, but I was really impressed with our defence. ... It was a great challenge on both sides, but Felix is just a special pitcher with special stuff, and he was on tonight."

Alberto Callaspo drove in the only run for the Angels, who committed four errors and dropped 3 1/2 games behind Texas in the AL West standings. The loss was just the Angels' second at home since Aug. 17.

"You're going to have nights like that," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "When you're facing a tough pitcher, you can't crack the door open for him. They scratched together a couple of runs and made them hold up."

The Rangers pounded Tampa Bay 8-0 earlier Tuesday. Los Angeles was a season-high 13 games over .500 after Monday's win over the Mariners, but still faces an uphill climb in the regular season's final three weeks to make the playoffs for the seventh time in 10 seasons.

"Texas is playing good ball, and we're just trying to keep up with those guys, so 3 1/2 games behind is still pretty good right now," Angels right fielder Torii Hunter said. "Today we faced Felix Hernandez, and they had (Tampa Bay starter Jeff) Niemann over there, so there's a difference."

Santana (11-10) yielded seven hits and two walks over six muddled innings in his 200th career start for the Angels, losing for just the second time in 13 starts. Although he didn't give up an earned run, he allowed a baserunner in every inning, and his usually sure-handed teammates weren't much help.

Seattle loaded the bases with nobody out in the second inning after two Los Angeles errors, but managed just one run on Trayvon Robinson's sacrifice fly. Seager then reached on an error in the fourth inning and eventually scored on Michael Saunders' grounder.

"We didn't do much on the offensive side to absorb any miscues, but I like our club defensively," Scioscia said. "I like the way they play aggressively. We made a couple of miscues tonight, but all in all, it's been a huge strength of ours this year, and it'll be there for us in the next three weeks. We're in this thing, and this game certainly didn't eliminate us. But any time you're losing ground, obviously the challenge gets a little steeper."

Los Angeles scored in the sixth when Hunter reached on a bunt single and advanced on Hernandez's throwing error before scoring on Callaspo's single off the second-base bag.

NOTES: Angels SS Erick Aybar's career-best 15-game hitting streak ended. ... Los Angeles failed to homer for just the fourth time in its last 28 games. ... Hernandez made his 202nd career start, tying Kelvim Escobar for fifth-most in major league history by a Venezuelan pitcher. Freddy Garcia holds the record with 324 starts.

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