Mariners 4, Rangers 3
Kyle Seager delivered a tiebreaking two-out double in the ninth inning to lift Seattle to its second win over host Texas in three days.
Seager lined his decisive hit off Joe Nathan (3-2) just inside the right-field line to score Endy Chavez from second. Danny Farquhar worked a perfect ninth for his seventh save as the Rangers’ lead in the American League West dwindled to a half game over the Oakland Athletics.
The Mariners took a 3-2 lead in the eighth when Dustin Ackley drilled a run-scoring single to center. Texas recovered to tie the contest in the bottom of the inning when Craig Gentry walked and scored on Elvis Andrus’ double to left off Yoervis Medina (4-3).
The teams traded runs in the fifth with a grounder by Chavez putting Seattle ahead and a sacrifice fly by Texas’ Mitch Moreland knotting the score. Michael Saunders drilled a two-out double in the sixth to put the Mariners ahead and the Rangers tied it in the bottom of the frame on Adrian Beltre’s run-scoring single.
Texas ace Yu Darvish struck out seven in 7 1/3 innings and was charged with three runs and seven hits. Seattle’s Erasmo Ramirez allowed two runs (one earned) and four hits in seven innings.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Saunders had three hits after entering the contest in a 2-for-23 funk. … Darvish raised his major league-leading strikeout total to 214. … Seager had five RBIs in the series and 13 against Texas this season.