SEATTLE -- What a difference a year can make. 

Last season, Seattle Mariners starter Emerson Hancock failed to make it out of the first inning in his first start of the season, surrendering seven hits and six earned runs over 0.2 innings against the Detroit Tigers.

The performance got him sent back to Triple-A and had the M's bullpen fighting uphill for much of the first half of April. 

On Sunday? Hancock dominated, throwing six no-hit innings against the Cleveland Guardians at T-Mobile Park. Using a low-to-mid 90s fastball and a solid sweeper, Hancock kept the Guardians off-balance all day, retiring 13 in a row at one point.

The Mariners won 8-0 to move to 2-2 on the season. 

Hancock joined Mariners' Hall of Famer Felix Hernandez in team history with the performance, per @MarinersPR:

Only 2 pitchers in @Mariners history have recorded outings of 6.0+ IP, 0 H and 9+ strikeouts.

Emerson Hancock (TONIGHT)

Félix Hernández (Perfect Game, 8/15/12 vs. TB)

Randy Johnson. Freddy Garcia. Hisashi Iwakuma. Mark Langston. Logan Gilbert. George Kirby. Bryan Woo. All excellent pitchers for the Mariners. None of them ever did this.

Though Hancock has appeared in the majors for each of the last three seasons, he's hoping to firmly entrench himself on the roster this season. This is the kind of outing that can help make that a reality. 

Hancock is in the rotation because of the injury to Bryce Miller, who is expected back at the end of April. Once he returns, it's unclear what Hancock's role will be, but if he keeps pitching like this, it will be hard to justify sending him back to Triple-A. 

Cooper Criswell relieved Hancock at the start of the seventh inning and promptly gave up a single to break up the no-hitter. Hancock had thrown 97 pitches, which was more than 80-90 that manager Dan Wilson had predicted for him pregame.

Criswell worked the final three innings to earn the save. 

Offensively, the Mariners were led by Brendan Donovan, who delivered his second home run of the series. Luke Raley hit a single to right center field that scored a run, giving him six RBIs for the series.

Cal Raleigh, Randy Arozarena and Leo Rivas also brought in runs. Arozarena had two RBIs. 

The Mariners will open up a new series on Monday night against the New York Yankees. Right-hander Luis Castillo will make his first start of the season against left-hander Ryan Weathers.

First pitch is 6:40 p.m. PT. 

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