SEATTLE (AP) — Nomar Mazara and Asdrubal Cabrera hit consecutive doubles in the ninth inning, lifting the Texas Rangers over Seattle 8-7 Wednesday in a back-and-forth game that highlighted the Mariners’ difficulties on defense and in the bullpen.
The Rangers capitalized on three errors and a wild pitch by relief pitchers in the sixth inning, leading to one of four lead changes. Shin-Soo Choo then hit a two-run single in the eighth to tie it at 7 in an unexpected pinch-hit appearance to set up Texas’ ninth-inning rally.
Texas scored three runs in the first against Wade LeBlanc, but LeBlanc settled in and worked through the fifth inning, leaving with Seattle down 3-0.
Tim Beckham hit a two-run homer in the fourth to tie it at 3, and Mitch Haniger drove in a run on a fielder’s choice to give the Mariners their first lead.
Jesse Biddle struck out the first batter he faced, but then flubbed Mazara’s comebacker for one error and threw the ball away for another, allowing Mazara to reach second. Mazara got to third on a wild pitch while Biddle walked Cabrera, setting up Rougned Odor’s RBI single and Ronald Guzmán’s sacrifice fly for a 5-4 Rangers lead. Austin Adams relieved Biddle, threw wildly to first on a pickoff attempt but evaded further damage by striking out Jeff Mathis.
The trio of errors brought the Mariners’ season total to 63. No other team in the major leagues has reached 50 yet.
Haniger rallied the Mariners again with a sixth-inning home run off the left field foul pole to make it 7-5.
The bullpen couldn’t hold that lead, either. Mazara singled to lead off the eighth and Odor walked before Choo’s two-run single tied it. Mazara — with his third hit — and Cabrera doubled off Anthony Bass (0-1) for the lead, and Shawn Kelley picked up his sixth save.
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (3-2, 3.82 ERA) makes the home start in a much anticipated matchup against the Los Angeles Angels and his fellow Japanese countryman Shohei Ohtani.
