Rangers 3, Mariners 0
SEATTLE -- Yovani Gallardo threw 5 1/3 shutout innings, and the Texas Rangers continued to push their way toward the top of the American League West standings with a 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Monday afternoon.
Texas (72-64) moved to within two games of the division-leading Houston Astros, who lost 10-9 to the Oakland A's on Monday.
Gallardo handed a shutout over to the Texas bullpen in the sixth, after Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre drove in the first two runs of the game in the top of the inning. Beltre's bases-loaded single put Texas ahead 2-0.
A pair of wild pitches by Seattle reliever Rob Rasmussen in the seventh allowed Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor to move to third base and then score for a 3-0 lead.
Gallardo (12-9) earned his fifth consecutive win since his last defeat, a 10-0 loss at Houston on July 19. He allowed five hits and two walks while striking out four Monday.
Seattle starter Roenis Elias allowed two runs on five hits over 5 1/3 innings. Elias (4-8) was dominant for five innings before Texas got to him in the sixth. The Rangers' only two hits of the first five innings came on a pair of singles by first baseman Mike Napoli.
With one out in the sixth, Texas had five consecutive batters reach base, resulting in a 2-0 lead on Beltre's two-run single.
Seattle reliever Mayckol Guaipe got the Mariners out of the sixth with a bases-loaded double play.
Texas struck again in the seventh, thanks in large part to Rasmussen's wildness. After Guaipe gave up a leadoff single to Odor, the runner moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Rasmussen came on to face left-handed pinch hitter Max Venable. Rasmussen got a strikeout before throwing a wild pitch to move Odor to third. Two pitches later, Rasmussen threw wild again, allowing Odor to score for a 3-0 Texas lead. During on span, three of Rasmussen's five pitches were wild.
Texas leadoff hitter Delino DeShields had to come out of the game in the seventh, when he jammed his right leg on third base trying to steal. DeShields sprained his left knee on the slide, and he is listed as day-to-day.
Napoli went 3-for-4, while Beltre had two RBIs to give him 50 for the season.
The Rangers used four pitchers in the shutout victory, with closer Shawn Tolleson survived a scare in the ninth to earn his 30th save of the season. He gave up a leadoff single to second baseman Robinson Cano, then got a warning-track flyout before finishing off the shutout -- the Rangers' eighth of the season and first since Aug. 30.
An announced crowd of only 18,469 showed up for the Labor Day afternoon game.
NOTES: Texas activated C Robinson Chirinos (shoulder) from the 15-day disabled list and recalled RHP Nick Martinez from Triple-A Round Rock. ... The Mariners optioned LHP Edgar Olmos to Triple-A Tacoma after Sunday's game and recalled RHP Danny Farquhar. ... Seattle RF Nelson Cruz (strained quad) missed a fourth game in a row. Mariners OF Franklin Gutierrez (groin) sat out for a third consecutive day. ... Texas CF Delino DeShields (strained torso) was back in the lineup after missing Sunday's game, but he left with a leg injury. ... Yovani Gallardo is the only right-hander scheduled to start for Texas during the four-game series in Seattle. LHPs Cole Hamels, Martin Perez and Derek Holland will follow Gallardo. ... Seattle still hasn't named a Wednesday starter. LHP James Paxton had a setback during his rehab stint, while scheduled Thursday starter Felix Hernandez is being given extended time off between starts to rest his arm.