Angels’ Ervin Santana gets win No. 16

This is how far under the radar Ervin Santana has flown this season: The most prominent player on his own team, outfielder Torii Hunter, had absolutely no idea the Angels right-hander won his 16th game Saturday night, matching a career high.

“He’s got 16 wins?” Hunter said after the Angels beat the Seattle Mariners, 7-4, in Angel Stadium to extend their winning streak to three games. “How many starts does he have left, three? He could end up with 19 wins? Are you kidding me? Honestly, that’s impressive.”

Actually, Santana has four starts left, and if he pitches as well as he did Saturday, when he gave up three runs and five hits in 7 1/3 innings, Santana could be the first 20-game winner for the Angels since Bartolo Colon finished 21-8 in 2005.

And that seems hard to believe, considering the Angels have provided little run support for most of their starters, and they’re 69-73 and all but out of playoff contention with 20 games left.

“Ervin is quietly putting together a big year,” Manager Mike Scioscia said of Santana, who is 16-9 with a 4.00 earned-run average. “There is a lot going on with our club, and through it all, Ervin has thrown the ball really well.”

Santana has not come up in Cy Young Award talk, but the pitcher he opposed Saturday, Mariners ace Felix Hernandez, has.

Hernandez emerged as a legitimate Cy Young threat with a brilliant six-start run from Aug. 10 through Sept. 5 in which he gave up one earned run, struck out 57 and walked 13 in 45 innings, lowering his American League-leading ERA to 2.30.

But Hernandez was roughed up for seven runs — four earned — and six hits in 6 1/3 innings to fall to 11-11 with a 2.39 ERA and 0-3 with a 4.13 ERA in five starts against the Angels.

Howie Kendrick hit a two-out, run-scoring single in the second inning, Hideki Matsui hit a solo home run to center field, his 19th, in the fourth and Hunter highlighted a three-run fifth with a two-out, two-run single to center field.

Hunter followed Alberto Callaspo’s single and Bobby Abreu’s walk in the seventh inning with a two-run double to right-center field against Jamey Wright.

Hunter has a .317 average (13 for 41) against Hernandez, but facing him is no treat. Asked how he approaches the pitcher known as “King Felix,” Hunter said:

“Help me Lord. That guy is filthy. He has nasty stuff, especially against right-handers, who are like sacrificial lambs against him. You try to get a fastball and take it up the middle. You try to pull him, and he always gets into your kitchen.”

Santana blanked Seattle and gave up three hits through seven innings before walking Michael Saunders with one out in the eighth.

Hunter lost Josh Wilson’s liner to right field in the lights, the ball falling for a double, and Ichiro Suzuki hit a three-run homer to right to knock out Santana. The Angels held on despite some shaky bullpen work.

So, could Santana win 20 games?

“Why not?” Santana said. “It’s possible. I just have to execute my pitches.”

Command and control

Control has not been a factor in Fernando Rodney’s struggles since he replaced closer Brian Fuentes in late August.

Though the right-hander has given up six earned runs and 12 hits in 7 1/3 innings and blown two saves since Fuentes was traded to Minnesota on Aug. 27, he has walked only one in that span.

“There’s a difference between not walking guys and commanding counts,” Scioscia said. “He’s in the zone more when he needs to get back in counts, but as far as bringing his whole repertoire, changing speeds, moving the fastball around, bringing the velocity, he needs to be better.”

Saturday night might be a start. Rodney replaced Kevin Jepsen with two on and two out in the ninth and got Suzuki to line out softly to third, ending the game.

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com