Field Level Media
May 29, 2019
Asdrubal Cabrera's run-scoring double in the ninth inning snapped a tie and gave the Texas Rangers an 8-7 victory over the host Seattle Mariners on Wednesday afternoon.
Jesse Chavez (1-1), who served as the opener in Tuesday's game, pitched two innings of scoreless relief for the victory Wednesday. Fellow right-hander Shawn Kelley worked out of a jam in the ninth, getting a game-ending double play for his sixth save of the season.
With two outs in the top of the ninth, Nomar Mazara and Cabrera hit back-to-back doubles to left off Seattle right-hander Anthony Bass (0-1). Mazara finished with three hits and three runs for the Rangers, who took the final two games of the three-game series.
Tim Beckham and Mitch Haniger hit two-run homers for the Mariners, who lost for the 11th time in their past 13 games.
The lead changed hands four times.
The Rangers scored three runs in the top of the first. Hunter Pence lined a two-run triple into the gap in left-center field, and Cabrera brought him home with a two-out single.
The Mariners got one run back in the third. Shed Long led off with a ground-rule double down the left field line, and Mallex Smith then grounded a run-scoring single to right.
Seattle took the lead in the fourth. Beckham tied the score with a two-run shot to right field with one out. Tom Murphy then singled, Long doubled, and Smith walked to load the bases. Haniger grounded out to short, with Murphy scoring to make it 4-3.
Mariners left-hander Wade LeBlanc steadied himself after the first and went five innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out five.
Texas regained the lead in the sixth with two unearned runs off left-hander Jesse Biddle, who committed fielding and throwing errors on the same play and also threw a wild pitch. Rougned Odor's run-scoring single tied it at 4-4, and Ronald Guzman brought home the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly.
Long drew a walk with one out in the bottom of the sixth and scored on Smith's triple. Haniger then hit a shot that struck the left field foul pole, his 14th homer of the season.
The Rangers tied it at 7-7 in the eighth on pinch hitter Shin-Soo Choo's two-run single.
Rangers left-hander Drew Smyly took over after Jose Leclerc pitched a scoreless opening inning. Smyly went five innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
--Field Level Media