Mariners 9, Rangers 2
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Kendrys Morales belted two home runs and accounted for six runs batted in as his Seattle Mariners topped the Texas Rangers, 9-2, on Tuesday night at Rangers Ballpark.
Morales, notching his 10th-career multi-homer game, homered in the first and fifth innings and added a RBI single in the sixth for his eighth three-hit game of the season.
Seattle (35-47) had entered having lost four of its last five games, but tied its season-high in home runs with three and produced nine runs for the fourth time this year.
Texas (48-35), on the other hand, was held homerless for a season-high fourth consecutive game. The Rangers left nine on base overall, despite having 11 hits in the contest.
The Rangers struggled out of the gate to get to Mariners starter Joe Saunders, leaving seven on base through the first four innings.
Saunders (6-8) worked around a bases loaded jam in the fourth and forced inning-ending double plays in the fifth and sixth innings to limit any damage.
The left-hander entered with consecutive losses to the Rangers in each of his two previous starts this season. Saunders gave up six runs in each, but departed with just one earned run allowed on the night.
Saunders finished with 6 2/3 innings pitched, five strikeouts and 10 hits allowed.
Texas starter Justin Grimm lasted just four complete innings in his third start against the Mariners this season. Grimm had not allowed a long ball to the Mariners in his previous two starts, but ran into trouble from the get-go.
With two out in the first, Raul Ibanez and Morales combined for back-to-back homers in the opener. Ibanez, knocking his 20th of the season, belted a solo shot to right and Morales followed with a blast in the same direction for his 10th.
Grimm (7-6) allowed just one run the next three innings, but ran into trouble again in the fifth.
Morales came to the plate with runners on the corners thanks to an error by second basemen Ian Kinsler. Morales knocked his second home run of the game, bouncing Grimm after four complete innings.
Grimm finished with five runs allowed, two walks and a strikeout.
Ross Wolf relieved Grimm and had similar luck against the Mariners. Wolf allowed two runs in the sixth and another in the seventh before giving way to Josh Lindblom.
Leonys Martin opened up the Rangers half of the third with a bunt single to extend his hitting streak to a team-high 15 games. Martin scored two batters later on the Rangers third consecutive single, this time coming from Elvis Andrus.
Notes: Texas announced that it had recalled RHP Josh Lindblom from Triple-A Round Rock before the game. To make room for Lindblom, the Rangers designated RHP Kyle McClellan for assignment ... Leonys Martin stole a base for the fifth consecutive game and has reached safely in his last 14 attempts ... Michael Saunders was held out of the Mariners lineup for a third consecutive game due to an injury to his right hand.
