Mariners 4, Rangers 3: Raul Ibanez homered and rookie Brandon Maurer tossed six solid innings for his first major-league win as host Seattle edged Texas in the series finale.
Maurer (1-2) allowed three runs (two earned) after giving up 12 over 6 2/3 innings in his first two starts while Tom Wilhelmsen worked a perfect ninth for his fifth save.
Ibanez put Seattle ahead 2-1 with a solo homer in the fourth off Texas starter Nick Tepesch (1-1), who gave up four runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings. Tepesch escaped further damage when the Mariners stranded runners on the corners on Dustin Ackley’s groundout to second.
Texas, which scored first on Mitch Moreland’s run-scoring double in the second, took back the lead in the fifth when Elvis Andrus scored on Lance Berkman’s RBI single and Chris Gentry scored on a passed ball.
Seattle evened the series at two games apiece after pulling ahead in the sixth when Kyle Seager sparked a one-out rally with a double off Tepesch. Jesus Montero and Ackley followed with back-to-back RBI singles, helping the Mariners improve to 2-3 in one-run games.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Seattle OFs Franklin Gutierrez (groin) and Michael Morse (finger) missed the game, but manager Eric Wedge said both could return for Tuesday’s series opener against Detroit. … Mariners RHP Stephen Pryor left in the eighth inning with a right lat strain. … The top three batters in the Texas lineup – Andrus, Gentry and Berkman – were a combined 1-for-11.
Texas | Seattle | |
Nicholas Tepesch | Player | Brandon Maurer |
Loss | W/L | Win |
5.2 | IP | 6.0 |
5 | Strikeouts | 5 |
9 | Hits | 5 |
6.35 | ERA | 3.00 |
Texas | Seattle | |
Lance Berkman | Player | Raul Ibanez |
1 | Hits | 2 |
1 | RBI | 1 |
0 | HR | 1 |
1 | TB | 5 |
.333 | Avg | .500 |