Rangers 6, Mariners 3
Prince Fielder scored on Mitch Moreland’s go-ahead sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and visiting Texas evened the three-game series against Seattle.
Aaron Poreda (1-0) worked two scoreless innings for his first major league win since 2009 and Joakim Soria retired the Mariners in order in the ninth for his sixth save. Texas pulled ahead in the eighth when Fielder was hit by a pitch from Charlie Furbush (0-2) and scored on Moreland’s sacrifice fly to left field off Yoervis Medina.
Texas, which has won 10 of its last 13 games, plated two insurance runs in the ninth when Leonys Martin scored on a wild pitch and Fielder added an RBI single. Kyle Seager homered among his two hits for Seattle, which failed in its bid to win three in a row for the first time since starting the season 3-0.
The Mariners grabbed a 2-0 lead on leadoff homers in the first two innings by Michael Saunders and Seager off Texas starter Colby Lewis, who allowed three runs while striking out six over five frames. Seattle extended its lead in the fourth when Lewis loaded the bases by allowing the first three batters to reach base and Mike Zunino followed with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Seattle starter Felix Hernandez cruised through the first four innings before running into trouble in the fifth, when Robinson Chirinos drew a bases-loaded walk and Michael Choice added an RBI single. Elvis Andrus capped the three-run inning with a sacrifice fly off Hernandez, who threw 107 pitches and allowed three runs over six innings.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Saunders batted leadoff for the first time this season, with Abraham Almonte moving to the No. 2 spot. Almonte went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts and has three hits in his last 29 at-bats. … The winning team has scored the go-ahead run(s) in the eighth or ninth inning in four of the Rangers’ last five games. … Seattle 2B Robinson Cano went 1-for-3 and is 9-for-22 in the last six games.