Note to opposing pitchers: Fear the beard.

The Colorado Rockies‘ Charlie Blackmon is starting to return to the form that saw him lead the National League with a .331 batting average last season Eagles Markus Wheaton Jersey , when he also had career highs with 37 home runs and 104 RBIs.

The bearded Blackmon homered in the first inning for the second time in the past three games Friday and added two other hits, sparking the Rockies to a 7-1 victory at Seattle. It was Colorado’s fourth straight win and seventh in the past eight games.

“It’s really good to continue to try and win games, play team baseball, even if you’re not feeling real awesome at the plate,” Blackmon told MLB.com earlier this week.

Blackmon hit a first-inning homer Tuesday in an 8-1 victory against San Francisco, then went deep against longtime Mariners ace Felix Hernandez on Friday.

During the Rockies’ four-game win streak, Blackmon is batting .471 (8-for-17) with two homers, four RBIs and has six runs scored. By contrast, from June 6 to Monday’s 5-2 victory over the Giants, Blackmon hit .216 (22-for-102) with two homers.

“This guy is the National League batting champion,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “He’s an All-Star, started the All-Star Game, hit 37 home runs, knocked in 100 runs from the leadoff position. He’s going to be pitched tough the next year, for sure.

“And Charlie, at times, has come out of his game a little bit. Our conversation with Charlie has been, ‘Hey, be yourself.’ “

And that’s when opponents fear the beard.

“I’ve felt pretty good the past couple of days,” Blackmon admitted.

Blackmon will face a tough task Saturday afternoon in Seattle against Mariners left-hander James Paxton (8-2, 3.39 ERA). Paxton is 1-1 with a 2.16 ERA in two career starts against the Rockies.

In his most recent start, Paxton pitched eight shutout innings Eagles Avonte Maddox Jersey , giving up just two hits while striking out 11, in a 1-0 victory over the Royals on Sunday.

Blackmon has a .305 career average against lefties. Of the left-handed batters with a minimum of 750 plate appearances, the only ones in baseball history with a better average against southpaws are Ichiro Suzuki, Tony Gwynn, Rod Carew and Larry Walker.

Colorado will send left-hander Kyle Freeland (8-6, 3.25) to the mound. Freeland has made one career start against the Mariners, a 6-3 win at Safeco Field last season. He pitched six innings in that game and allowed two runs on six hits. In five career interleague starts, Freeland is 4-0 with a 2.14 ERA.

The Mariners hope to have outfielder Mitch Haniger back Saturday.

Haniger, who is second in the American League with 62 RBIs, has missed the past two games with a bruised right knee.

“(Thursday) it was really sore, but it’s calmed down quite a bit,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said before Friday’s game. “He had it looked at by the doctor and it’s day-to-day. Hopefully he goes along good today and he possibly could get back in there (Saturday). He was definitely moving and feeling better.”

Mariners second baseman Dee Gordon left Friday’s game in the sixth inning after trying to score from third base on a ball that was in the dirt and got away from Colorado catcher Tony Wolters. But Wolters quickly recovered and flipped to pitcher German Marquez, who tagged out Gordon, who tried to score standing up. Gordon landed awkwardly after crossing the plate and Servais said Gordon “tweaked his hip.”

“I think he’ll be OK,” Servais said. “We’ll know more (Saturday) morning.”

It was ”Turn Ahead the Clock” night at Safeco Field, including back-to-the future sleeveless uniforms with shirt tails out and some shiny silver shoes and helmets.

The Seattle Mariners feel like their future is now, earning a season-best sixth consecutive victory by beating the Kansas City Royals 6-4 on Saturday night.

Ryon Healy had four hits, including a home run and three RBIs. Felix Hernandez (8-6) earned the win despite back stiffness so severe that it was difficult for him to bend over.

”It was real bad,” Hernandez said. ”I put a heat pad on it between innings and I couldn’t sit (in the dugout). I was standing up the whole game.”

The stiffness showed in the first inning when Hernandez gave up four consecutive hits, including a three-run homer to Mike Moustakas. But Hernandez managed to pitch four scoreless innings afterward.

Did he consider skipping his start?

”Come on, man,” he said. ”I had to go out there. But the ump wouldn’t let me wear my hat backwards (on the uniform night). ”He said it was too much of a distraction with my jersey out and the earrings. I said. `Look Eagles Josh Sweat Jersey , this is the future.’ `’

Edwin Diaz pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 31st save of the season.

Jason Hammels (2-10) lost his fifth straight, allowing all six runs on 13 hits in six innings.

”Mechanically, the first few innings I was a mess,” Hammels said. ”That’s a tough lineup. I felt like I was throwing batting practice today.”

So did Hernandez in the first inning, but Seattle manager Scott Servais said they were just hoping to get five innings out of him.

”The ball was up in the first because he wasn’t extending due to the tightness in his back,” Servais said. ”He wasn’t finishing his pitches, but he got through it. The key was keeping us in the game, which he did, and we took advantage of it.”

The Mariners (53-31) are 22 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2003 season. They have gone 16 consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance, the longest dry spell in professional sports.

”We’re just living the dream now,” Hernandez said. ”I love these guys. It’s the best team we’ve had in my 14 years. It’s fun.”

Kansas City manager Ned Yost said he knew Hernandez would get better as the game progressed.

”Good pitchers, if you’re going to get them, you better get them early because they’re going to settle in,” Yost said. ”Hernandez settled in in the second.”

The Mariners quickly got back in it. Mitch Haniger made it 3-1 in the bottom of the first when he doubled to the gap in left-center to score Jean Segura, who singled.

The Mariners took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the second. Healy homered to left-center to tie it at 3 and Mike Zunino hit a sacrifice fly.

The Mariners added two more runs on five hits in the third inning to take a 6-3 lead.

It was another impressive win for the Mariners on a night of uniforms that were supposed to represent the year 2027. Dee Gordon wore his hat backward and Nelson Cruz showed off his giant biceps in the sleeveless attire.

”Dee put so much effort into it, so it was his night,”’ Healy said. ”But Nelson and those arms. My goodness. That’s shear intimidation when he doesn’t wear sleeves.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Yost said RHP Ian Kennedy was feeling better Saturday after experiencing tightness on his left side when he left the game Friday after five innings. Yost didn’t day whether Kennedy would make his next scheduled start . INF Chester Cuthbert (lower back strain) went 0 for 2 with a walk and a run scored in his first rehab assignment game at Triple-A Omaha on Friday night. Cuthbert appeared in 30 games and was hitting .194 before the injury on May 16.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Brad Keller (2-2, 2.25) will make his sixth start of the year Sunday. Keller is coming off the best start of his rookie season when he pitched seven scoreless innings and allowed only two hits in a 2-0 victory over the Angels Monday.

Mariners: LHP James Paxton (7-2, 3.65) will make his 18th start of the season Sunday. Paxton leads the team in strikeouts this season with 134 in 103 2/3 innings. He has six double-digit strikeout games in 2018 and his 11.6 strikeouts per nine innings are fourth-best in the AL.