Mariners 5, Rangers 3: Kevin Millwood threw six innings of three-hit ball to win his third straight start and Alex Liddi hit his first career grand slam as Seattle made the most of its four hits to win the rubber match of a three-game series at Safeco Field.
A day after having a season-high four-game winning streak snapped, the Mariners again slowed down Texas' prolific offense. The Rangers scored only seven runs in the series.
Millwood (3-4) shut down his former team, striking out two and walking one. He has allowed one run in 22 innings over his last three starts.
Brandon League struck out two in a perfect ninth for his ninth save.
Michael Saunders started the scoring in the second with a sacrifice fly. The Mariners broke it open in the fifth, when the Rangers intentionally walked Dustin Ackley to load the bases for Liddi, who turned on the first pitch from Scott Feldman (0-2) and lined it over the left field wall for the sixth homer of his career and his third of the season.
The Rangers rallied for three runs in the eighth against reliever Tom Wilhelmsen but couldn't get any closer. Josh Hamilton's RBI double got Texas on the board, and Adrian Beltre added his ninth home run - a two-run blast - later in the inning.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Feldman made a spot start in place of Neftali Feliz, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list this week with an elbow injury. … Texas had scored three runs or fewer only 12 times in 42 games entering the series but did not top three runs in any of the three games in Seattle. … Mariners OF Ichiro Suzuki went 0-for-4 to snap his five-game hitting streak. … The Mariners continue their home stand with a four-game series against the Angels starting Thursday. The Rangers return home for a three-game series with Toronto starting Friday.
Texas | Seattle | |
Scott Feldman | Player | Kevin Millwood |
Loss | W/L | Win |
4.1 | IP | 6.0 |
1 | Strikeouts | 2 |
3 | Hits | 3 |
10.38 | ERA | 0.00 |
Texas | Seattle | |
Adrian Beltre | Player | Alex Liddi |
2 | Hits | 2 |
2 | RBI | 4 |
1 | HR | 1 |
6 | TB | 6 |
.500 | Avg | .667 |