SEATTLE -- After hitting a home run that played a part in a 4-2 win over Seattle on Saturday night, Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz spent a lot of time in the visiting clubhouse talking about Mariners starter Felix Hernandez.

When the topic turned to teammate Rick Porcello, who out-dueled Hernandez while throwing 6 2/3 innings and allowing just two runs, Ortiz needed just three words.

"He was," Ortiz said, "outstanding."

Porcello turned in one of his finest outings of the season, despite giving up two home runs to Seattle designated hitter Brad Miller, while the Red Sox knocked Hernandez out after six innings to hand him his first loss of the season.

Hernandez (6-1) allowed four earned runs, two of which came on solo homers, over six innings. He issued a season-high four walks, three of which came after he tweaked his left ankle in the top of the sixth inning.

"He said he was fine, but I'm not sure it didn't affect him a little bit in terms of his command," Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said of Hernandez shaking off the injury to get through the sixth. "He lost his control a little bit. A tough sixth inning."

Boston (18-19) took advantage of Hernandez's control problems after the injury, as the Red Sox drew three walks and got an RBI double from catcher Blake Swihart on the way to a 4-2 lead in the sixth.

Ortiz and Red Sox third baseman Pedro Sandoval each had solo homers off Hernandez, while Miller hit a pair of home runs for the Mariners (16-20).

Porcello (4-2) was out-dueling Hernandez even before the injury. He allowed five hits and two earned runs while striking out six in 6 2/3 innings.

"He pitched another strong outing for us tonight," manager John Farrell said.

McClendon wasn't nearly as complimentary, as his team's five hits for the game and five runs over the first three games of the series left the Seattle manager seeping with frustration.

"He threw a nice ball game, but, listen, we can't make everybody Cy Young," McClendon said of Porcello after the loss. "It's not like we're swinging the bats like we're capable of swinging."

Porcello has now won three of his past four starts as the Boston rotation has started to get into a groove over the past couple weeks.

"Hopefully, those struggles are behind us, and we'll provide stability and start getting on a roll," Porcello said.

Red Sox closer Koji Uehara came on in the ninth to earn his third save in four days and his ninth of the season.

Hernandez seemed to settle down from the two solo homers as the game headed into the sixth inning with the score tied at 2. On his fourth pitch of that frame, Hernandez appeared to catch the cleats of his left shoe in a divot on the pitching mound during his release. He was in visible pain, drawing a mound visit from McClendon and a team trainer, but Hernandez remained in the game.

He finished off that at-bat by getting Sandoval to ground out to second base, but Hernandez walked the next two batters before Swihart gave Boston a 3-2 lead with the RBI double to left-center.

Another walk, issued to No. 9 hitter Jackie Bradley Jr., loaded the bases before Brock Holt drove in a run with an RBI groundout to first base for a 4-2 Red Sox lead.

Hernandez came out after the inning, marking his shortest outing since he went just five innings in his second start of the season on April 12.

Afterward, he said the injury didn't have anything to do with his control problems.

"Not at all," said Hernandez, who was seeking to become the first Mariners pitcher to start a season 7-0 since Aaron Sele in 2001. "The whole game, I fell behind a lot of times. My command wasn't there."

Ortiz said Hernandez looked "human" in the sixth.

"Trust me, he's not trying to walk anyone," the Boston slugger said. "It was late in the game, he's thrown a lot of pitches, and I kind of saw him limping a little bit. Maybe that's why he walked three guys. Who knows?"

Both McClendon and Hernandez said the injury isn't expected to affect Hernandez's next start. McClendon said the ankle will be re-evaluated on Sunday.

NOTES: Boston went with a lefty-heavy lineup Saturday that featured four players who'd been on the bench the previous night. The Red Sox were featuring four left-handed bats and two switch-hitters because they were facing Hernandez. ... Mariners CF Austin Jackson, who has been on 15-day disabled list since May 4 because of a sprained ankle, began his rehab assignment at Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday. Jackson is eligible to come off the DL on Tuesday, and it's likely he'll be back with the Mariners before next weekend. ... Former Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine is scheduled to make his return to Fenway Park this week. Valentine, who managed the Red Sox for one season in 2012, is part of ESPN's broadcast crew for the Wednesday game against the Texas Rangers. ... Boston is expected to call up RHP Steven Wright before Sunday's game to start in place of injured Justin Masterson. Wright, who has already made two spot starts this season, made his starting debut at Seattle in July 2013, when he threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings. ... Saturday was Turn Back the Clock Night at Safeco Field, so both teams wore throwback jerseys to honor the 1946 Seattle Steelheads of the West Coast Negro Baseball League.