BOSTON — When Emerson Hancock made his return to the majors last week after getting unexpectedly, and maybe unfairly, shipped to the minors following one start, there wasn’t a sense of bitterness even if it could be justified.

The way Hancock carried himself upon coming back to the Mariners was noticeable to the teammates around him.

“Not enough is going to be said about the way that he handled that experience and going down to Triple-A, keeping his confidence, keeping his head on his shoulders the right way, and then coming back up and delivering a huge start for us,” friend and fellow starter Bryan Woo said last week in Toronto.

That background made Wednesday night at Fenway Park seem extra rewarding for Hancock as he limited the Red Sox to two runs over six innings in the Mariners’ 8-5 win.

Hancock (1-1) scattered five hits. He struck out a career-high seven and walked only two. Considering how much the Mariners bullpen has been used of late, Hancock provided a little bit of depth at a time any break for the relievers is welcomed.

And, he may have put that first start of the season back on March 31 against Detroit fully in the past when he couldn’t escape the first inning and his penance was a trip back down to Tacoma.

But Hancock didn’t sulk. When he returned last week in Cincinnati, he allowed two runs over five innings and gave the M’s a chance to win.

This night, he was even better and collected a deserved victory. Other than Woo, Hancock was the first M’s pitcher to throw at least six innings since Luis Castillo back on April 2.

It helped the Mariners offense received contributions throughout the lineup but especially the bottom of the batting order. Hitting seventh, Ben Williamson had the first three-hit game of his career and drove in a run. Hitting eighth, Leo Rivas had two singles, two walks and scored two runs.

And batting ninth, J.P. Crawford became the 10th different Mariner to go deep this season with a three-run homer in the fourth inning that gave Seattle a 4-0 lead. Crawford’s homer off Boston starter Sean Newcomb was the fifth of his last eight home runs dating back to last season that came off a left-handed pitcher.

Crawford finished with four RBIs, tying his career high, accomplished six times previously. The bottom three hitters in Seattle’s lineup combined to go 7 for 12 with five RBIs, four runs scored and three walks.

Mitch Garver added an RBI single, his second RBI of the season, and the Mariners added a pair in the sixth inning thanks in part to Boston reliever Brennan Bernardino making two errors on one play. Bernardino misplayed Dylan Moore’s 41.5-mph check swing back toward the mound then threw wildly toward first allowing Rivas to score. Julio Rodríguez followed with a single — the 499th hit of his career — to score Moore for his first RBI since April 12.

Boston did pull within 8-5 in the eighth inning on Triston Casas’ three-run homer off Casey Legumina, but Andrés Muñoz pitched the ninth to get his eighth save.

While Williamson shined at the plate, he continued to show his defensive value at third base. When Hancock found trouble in the fifth inning, he was able to escape mostly unscathed thanks in part to Williamson’s defense.

Boston already plated one run and had Jarren Duran standing at third with Alex Bregman at the plate. Bregman hit a chopper behind third that was going to stay fair but be a tough play for Williamson going to his backhand. Williamson was able to charge enough to get the chopper on a short-hop and made an on-target running throw to get Bregman.

Wilyer Abreu popped out to end the threat and Hancock worked a 1-2-3 sixth inning to fittingly cap his performance.

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