Mariners take series vs. Rangers
SEATTLE -- Home runs by Dae-Ho Lee and Kyle Seager led another big offensive night from the Seattle Mariners, who took three out of four from the Texas Rangers with a 6-3 win on Thursday night.
Lee hit his 14th home run of the season with a solo shot in the second inning, then Seager delivered a two-run shot to open up a 6-3 lead in the seventh.
Seattle (72-68) had 11 hits in the win. The Mariners finished the four-game series with 45 hits and 35 runs, one shy of the Safeco Field record for runs by a single team in a series (Detroit scored 36 runs in a 2000 series at Seattle).
Texas (83-58) has lost for out of five games and now leads American League Central frontrunner Cleveland by just one game in the race for the AL's top record.
The Rangers' pitching staff had a rough series. Thursday starter Derek Holland allowed four runs off 10 hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings, leaving the Texas starters with an 11.81 ERA in the series.
With the win, Seattle moved to within 4 1/2 games of the second AL wild-card.
Seager had three hits and scored twice for Seattle, while left fielder Guillermo Heredia and center fielder Leonys Martin each added a hit.
Rangers right fielder Carlos Beltran had two hits, extending his hitting streak to 11 games.
After Seattle starter Taijuan Walker (5-10) struggled to get through five innings, leaving with a 4-3 lead, the Mariners' bullpen closed it out with four scoreless innings. Veterans Evan Scribner and Nick Vincent got Seattle through the sixth, seventh and eighth innings before rookie closer Edwin Diaz came on in the ninth and earned his 13th save.
Mariners catcher Chris Iannetta hit a two-run, bases-loaded double during a three-run fourth inning as Seattle took a 4-2 lead. Texas center fielder Ian Desmond's leadoff home run, his 21st of the season, pulled the Rangers to within 4-3 in the fifth.
Seattle first baseman Dae-Ho Lee gave the Mariners a 1-0 lead with a second-inning home run, his first since July 31.
Texas went ahead 2-1 on RBI singles from Carlos Beltran and Rougned Odor in the third inning. Seattle left fielder Guillermo Heredia threw out another potential run at the plate, resulting in the second out of the inning.
The Mariners had a chance to tie or take the lead in the third when they loaded the bases with one out, but Texas starter Derek Holland struck out Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz to escape trouble.
Holland didn't get out of the fifth inning, allowing four runs and 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Seattle starter Taijuan Walker allowed three runs and seven hits over five innings.
NOTES: Texas filled out its probable pitching rotation for the upcoming series against the Los Angeles Angels, and the big news was that RHP Colby Lewis is scheduled to pitch Sunday's game. Lewis (shoulder) is on the 60-day disabled list and hasn't pitched for the Rangers since June 21. RHP Yu Darvish is scheduled to start Friday, followed by LHP Cole Hamels on Saturday. ... Texas C Jonathan Lucroy was not in the lineup Thursday. Robinson Chirinos got the start at catcher. ... Seattle begins a three-game series in Oakland on Friday night.