The Sports Xchange
May 7, 2017
In 2016, Kyle Seager hit 30 home runs. He didn't hit his first one in 2017 until April 29.
On Sunday, Seager hit his second to complete the Mariners' 4-3, come-from-behind win over the Texas Rangers at Safeco Field in Seattle.
After Seager, who was 2-for-3 with two runs, connected in the eighth, Mariners closer Edwin Diaz pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his sixth save.
Seattle reliever Marc Rzepczynski (1-0), who came on in the top of the eighth after a double by Rangers catcher Jonathan Lucroy, struck out the only batter he faced, Joey Gallo, to earn the win.
It was another struggle for the Texas bullpen.
Behind starter Andrew Cashner, the Rangers controlled the game for the first six innings. Cashner allowed just one run and four hits and had a season-high five strikeouts.
A lock of control ultimately became a problem, though. Cashner walked Seager to lead off the bottom of the seventh, prompting Texas manager to bring in right-hander Jose Leclerc.
Leclerc walked three more batters, with the third, to Jean Segura, scoring a run, and Danny Valencia's pinch-hit, two-run single tied it 3-3.
Sam Dyson (0-4), who gave up the Seager blast, took the loss.
The Rangers jumped on the scoreboard in the first inning when second baseman Rougned Odor scored on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Gomez.
Odor reached on a bunt single and advanced to third on a wild pitch and an Elvis Andrus single.
Rangers designated hitter Mike Napoli led off the second inning with a strikeout, but he was safe at first after a passed ball by Seattle catcher Carlos Ruiz.
After Napoli advanced to third on a Lucroy double, he scored on a Shin-Soo Choo groundout to put Texas up 2-0.
Choo scored on Delino DeShields' sacrifice fly in the seventh to increase the lead to 3-0.
The Rangers will be in San Diego for a four-game series with the Padres beginning Monday. Seattle starts a two-game series in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
NOTES: Rangers 3B Joey Gallo was not in the starting lineup on Sunday for the first time this season. Gallo is batting .202 after his pinch-hit strikeout, but he leads Texas with 10 home runs. Pete Kozma started in place of Gallo. ... Seattle RHP Christian Bergman was called up from Triple-A Tacoma and saw his first major league action of 2017. Bergman, who replaced LHP Dillon Overton in the fourth inning, gave up one run on one hit in 3 2/3 innings. ... Mariners DH Nelson Cruz (0-for-4) had a 15-game hitting streak end.