Rangers Lose To Mariners
SEATTLE — Vidal Nuno wanted little to do with his winless streak while it was happening, and he made sure to minimize it after finally ending the draught Wednesday night.
The Seattle Mariners left-hander threw seven shutout innings of one-hit ball, striking out a career-high 10 along the way, to beat the Texas Rangers 6-0 and earn his first win since June 27, 2014.
Afterward, Nuno did everything in his power to downplay his role in the game.
“A good win,” he said after snapping an 11-decision losing streak while winning for the first time in 21 starts and 45 appearances. “Everyone contributed.”
Manager Lloyd McClendon was a bit more enthusiastic.
“I was cheering in the dugout: ‘Nuno! Nuno!” McClendon joked.
Nuno (1-2) walked two in his 106-pitch outing. Seattle relievers Danny Farquhar and Carson Smith each threw a perfect inning to complete the one-hitter.
The Texas (73-65) fell 1 1/2 games behind Houston in the AL West standings pending the
result of the Astros’ game at Oakland. The Rangers entered the day with a chance to earn a piece of first place for the first time since Aug. 11, but those plans were derailed by the loss.
“(Nuno) had terrific movement, and we couldn’t find the rhythm offensively,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said.
First baseman Mark Trumbo and third baseman Kyle Seager each hit a two-run homer, providing most of the Mariners’ offensive damage. That duo combined for eight of Seattle’s nine hits.
“It was really cool,” Trumbo said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been a part of something like that. It was really neat.”
Texas starter Martin Perez had a tough outing, allowing five runs on seven hits over five innings. Trumbo and Seager combined for six of the seven hits Perez allowed.
“I think the story was Seager and Trumbo — (Perez) making a couple mistakes to both those guys,” Banister said. “Overall, I didn’t think he threw that badly.”
Nuno has come a long way since opening the season in the Diamondbacks’ minor league system. He was promoted to Arizona in May and made three appearances before being traded to Seattle in early June.
Nuno joined the Mariners’ bullpen and soon became a valuable asset before making his first Seattle start on Aug. 4. He logged five starts before going back into the bullpen at the beginning of September.
However, a rotation that has been depleted by injury, trade and ineffectiveness forced Nuno back into a starting role Wednesday, and he responded with his best outing of the season.
“He is so valuable to this ballclub with his ability to swing (between the rotation and the bullpen),” McClendon said. “He really shouldn’t have had this much success today. I can’t think of a better performance.”
The win was Seattle’s first shutout victory since Aug. 28 and only the Mariners’ second since Hisashi Iwakuma’s Aug. 12 no-hitter.
Three of the Rangers’ past four losses were shutouts.
Designated hitter Prince Fielder had the Rangers’ only hit, a two-out single in the first.
Home runs by Trumbo and Seager helped the Mariners jump out to a 5-0 lead.
Trumbo gave Seattle a 3-0 lead on his 12th home run as a Mariner, a two-run shot in the third inning. Trumbo’s one-out homer, which followed a single by Seager, went 408 feet.
Seager added a two-run homer in the fifth to put the Seattle ahead 5-0.
Designated hitter Jesus Montero had Seattle’s other RBI on a bases-loaded fielder’s choice in the first.
Nuno did the rest, although he wasn’t in a boastful mood afterward, offering only: “I finally got that win.”
Teammate Seager was a bit more complimentary.
“It was awesome,” he said.
