News

M’s get drilled by Rangers…again

Texas Rangers' Logan Forsythe connects on a three-run home run against the Seattle Mariners in the eighth inning of a baseball game Sunday, April 28, 2019, in Seattle. Photo: Associated Press/Elaine Thompson


SEATTLE (AP) — A day after they scored 15 runs, the Rangers kept on bashing the ball all over Safeco Field.

Elvis Andrus, Hunter Pence, Logan Forsythe and Shin-Soo Choo homered, Lance Lynn allowed one run over seven innings and Texas routed the Seattle Mariners again, 14-1.

“We just kept coming,” manager Chris Woodward said. “It’s a testament to our ballclub and what we prioritize offensively. We are going to keep coming at you.”

Coming off a 15-1 win in which they had their most hits (20) and runs of the season, the Rangers had 17 hits Sunday to earn a split of the four-game series with AL West-leading Seattle. Pence was 3-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored, and Choo and Danny Santana also had three hits apiece.

“We seemed to really take advantage of any mistakes that were made today,” Pence said. “Just kept putting good swings on them and passing the baton, as they say.”

Lynn (3-2) had his best start of the year, matching his season highs in innings pitched and strikeouts (nine) and equaling a season low in runs allowed.

“They gave me a big lead and I navigated my way through seven,” Lynn said. “It was a good team win.”

Entering the series with a thin bullpen, the Rangers were forced to use 10 relievers in the first two games against Seattle but got seven innings from Mike Minor on Saturday and Lynn on Sunday.

Lynn has put together quality starts in three of his last six outings and picked up his second win in as many career outings against the Mariners.

“It’s amazing the competitiveness we get from every pitch,” Woodward said. “He just never gives in.”

Andrus and Pence each hit two-run homers off Eric Swanson (0-3) during a four-run third. Pence fell behind 0-2 before hitting his third home run of the year, extending the lead to 5-0.

Texas scored four more runs in the fifth to chase Swanson, thanks in part to errors by shortstop Tim Beckham and left fielder Domingo Santana. The Mariners committed four errors Sunday and lead the AL with 36 errors this season, including 11 by Beckham, who has the most in the majors. Seattle also committed three errors in Saturday’s loss.

“There are plays — it’s the big leagues — that need to be made,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Our guys know that. It isn’t for lack of work and trying to get through it. We’ve had stretches where we play very poor defense and stretches where we play six-seven games and we’re making all the plays and we roll.”

Seattle’s third error, a botched ground ball by second baseman Dee Gordon with two outs in the eighth, enabled Forsythe’s three-run homer off Anthony Swarzak, extending Texas’ lead to 13-1.

“Last night we got behind the eight-ball, and again today,” Servais said. “And (we didn’t) make the plays defensively that we need to. Last couple days we’ve been on the bad side of it. You have to make plays. You have to catch the ball in this league.”

Choo homered in the ninth, his third of the season.

Swanson, still in search of his first major league victory, allowed nine runs, six earned, on 11 hits in four innings.

Ryon Healy drove in Seattle’s only run with a groundout in the fourth. Daniel Vogelbach went 2-for-3 with a double for the Mariners, who are 5-11 in their last 16 games.

MOVING UP

Andrus’ home run in the third was his 1,596th hit as a Ranger, moving him past Juan González for fourth in club history.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: 2B Asdrubal Cabrera was out of the lineup for the third straight game with a sore calf. Cabrera was injured in the second inning of Seattle’s 14-2 win on Thursday.

Seattle: CF Mitch Haniger was out of the lineup with a sore shoulder after landing awkwardly trying to make a catch in the eighth inning Saturday night. Haniger will be further evaluated after Monday’s day off, Servais said.

UP NEXT

Rangers: RHP Adrian Sampson (0-1, 4.50 ERA) starts Tuesday night in the opener of a two-game home series against the Pirates.

Mariners: RHP Felix Hernandez (1-2, 3.91) takes the mound as the Mariners kick off a two-game series against the Cubs. Hernandez took a tough loss in his last start, allowing one run on three hits while striking out eight.

Recent Headlines

4 hours ago in Sports

LeBron James cites ‘Luka magic’ as Doncic has 45-point triple-double

LeBron James was in awe of "Luka magic" after Luka Doncic had 45 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds in his fifth triple-double of the season in a 143-135 win over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night.

5 hours ago in Sports

Seahawks overcome 16-point deficit to stun Rams 38-37 in OT in NFC West showdown

Mike Macdonald was in no mood to play for a tie, and the Los Angeles Rams' defense had no interest in letting Sam Darnold connect with any of his top receiving options.

22 hours ago in Sports

Tarik Skubal joins Paul Skenes on US World Baseball Classic pitching staff

Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers has agreed to pitch for the United States in the World Baseball Classic, joining a pitching staff that includes reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

22 hours ago in Sports

Timberwolves formalize a reunion with Kevin Garnett, with a plan to finally retire his No. 21 jersey

Kevin Garnett will finally have his No. 21 formally retired by the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves announced on Thursday they've hired the Hall of Fame member and franchise icon as a team ambassador, with a plan to honor Garnett in a jersey-raising ceremony at Target Center on a future date.

1 day ago in Olympics, Sports

Winter Olympics 2026 guide: All you need to know about the Milan–Cortina Games

The countdown is on for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The torch relay is already underway and some of the top athletes are already making headlines. There are 16 sports in all, including some never seen before, and 116 gold medals are waiting to be awarded.