ARLINGTON, Texas -- Seattle starting pitcher J.A. Happ turned in his most dominating performance of the season and designated hitter Nelson Cruz continued to torture his former club in the Mariners' 2-1 victory Tuesday night over the Texas Rangers.

Seattle (9-11) also clinched the series win with the finale of the three-game set coming Wednesday night at Globe Like Park.

Happ improved to 2-1 after striking out nine -- matching his total through his first three starts -- in 6 2/3 innings. Happ, who allowed six hits and walked one, also evened his career record against Texas to 2-2.

Cruz went 3-for-4 and has 11 hits in his last five games against the Rangers, his team from 2006-13. He is hitting .320 this season.

Texas (7-13) came into the game with the lowest batting average in the American League and, despite seven hits, only managed to get four runners into scoring position.

Five relievers came out of the Seattle bullpen to nail down the win, with closer Fernando Rodney pitching a perfect ninth for his sixth save.

Texas starter Ross Detwiler, working on extended rest after struggling through his first three starts, put in a solid effort and pitched into the sixth. The lanky left-hander allowed only two runs on five hits, while striking out five, in 5 1/3 innings in dropping to 0-3.

The Rangers cut a two-run deficit in half in the seventh, chasing Happ on left fielder Delino DeShields' two-out double to the left-center gap to score right fielder Jake Smolinski.

Deshields made a rare start in place of outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, who's been mired in a miserable slump all season.

Seattle designated hitter Nelson Cruz tormented Rangers starter Ross Detwiler early with a double and triple in his first two at-bats. The latter, which came in the fourth inning, led to the first run of the game when Cruz came home on third baseman Kyle Seagar's infield groundout.

Left fielder Rickie Weeks followed with a towering home run to left to stake Mariners starter J.A. Happ to 2-0 lead.

Happ had the Rangers bats confused and swinging at air. The lefty struck out nine through the first five innings, including the side in the fifth.

Cruz opened the second with a slicing double to right, but Detwiler left the inning unscathed despite loading the bases.

NOTES: Texas OF Josh Hamilton, acquired Monday from the Los Angeles Angels, reported to the Rangers' extended spring program in Surprise, Ariz., on Tuesday for his first workout. He's expected to be there for about 10 days before beginning a rehab assignment. ... Mariners RHP and Wednesday starter Felix Hernandez is five strikeouts shy (1,983) of the Venezuelan career record held by Johan Santana (1,988). ... Texas 1B Prince Fielder entered Tuesday leading the American League with 10 multi-hit games and tied for second in the AL with 27 hits. ... Seattle came in having scored 47.1 percent of its runs this season via home runs (33 of 70).