Rangers Beat Mariners

via Texas Rangers

SEATTLE — Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor’s first at-bat of the season with the bases loaded came in a crucial moment and against a tough opponent.

Mariners closer Edwin Diaz entered Tuesday’s game with a 1.59 ERA and a .109 opponents’ batting average. But Odor had beat him with a big hit before, and he did so again, hitting a tiebreaking three-run double in the ninth inning to lift the Rangers to a 9-5 victory over the Mariners at Safeco Field.

On Aug. 30, 2016, Odor hit a walkoff home run against Diaz in Arlington.

“I’m just trying to do my best,” Odor said. “He is a lot like me. He works hard and plays with a lot of energy. I like facing him.”



The Rangers led, 5-4, entering the bottom of the eighth before the Mariners scored off reliever Chris Martin to tie the game. Seattle manager Scott Servais brought in Diaz to keep it tied, and that appeared to be the obvious choice. But Mariners relievers had allowed only one run in their previous 27 1/3 innings entering Tuesday, so they have more than Diaz out there.

Jurickson Profar started the Rangers’ rally with a single to right-center field leading off the ninth. Diaz struck out Nomar Mazara, but Isiah Kiner-Falefa bounced a hit-and-run single through the right side, moving Profar to third. Diaz then walked Joey Gallo to load the bases for Odor.

Odor worked the count to 2-2, then went the opposite way, lining a fastball deep to left field beyond Denard Span for a double that put the Rangers ahead, 8-5. Right-hander Chasen Bradford took over for Diaz, and Ronald Guzman also doubled, bringing home Odor.

“We’ve had some moments against Edwin Diaz in the past,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “I think any time he comes in, he raises the concentration level of all our guys. We started off with Profar with the big hit, Gallo, I thought, was a huge at-bat, drawing a walk. Rougned had a tremendous at-bat, driving the ball the other way. That is something that he has been working on quite a bit lately. For Guzman, it was a tremendous night.”

Guzman, who entered on an 0-for-8 skid, went 4-for-4 with three RBIs. It was his first four-hit game since being called up on April 13, and the third time he has had three RBIs.

“I have been feeling good at the plate,” Guzman said. “Sometimes, I feel good and don’t get hits. But I am just trying to stay with the same approach and the same mentality.”

The run allowed by Martin ended the Rangers bullpen’s string of 14 consecutive scoreless innings. But they still have a 2.64 ERA in their last 22 games, holding opponents to a .217 batting average.

“It has been a great roll,” Banister said. “Getting Chris back [off the disabled list] has allowed us to move some of these guys back into spots they are more comfortable. They have been doing a great job. The mix of guys and the different looks has been huge for us.”

Rangers starter Austin Bibens-Dirkx allowed three runs in the first inning and four over 4 2/3 innings. He left trailing, 4-2, in his second start since being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock. Bibens-Dirkx will likely head back to Round Rock with the Rangers expected to activate Matt Moore off the disabled list to start against the Mariners on Wednesday.



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