Rangers Beat Mariners

By Anthony Andro, The Sports Xchange

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers know how to swing their way out of a slump.
Texas, which is second in the American League in home runs, got long balls from Elvis Andrus, Joey Gallo and Delino DeShields on Wednesday night to snap a four-game losing streak with a 5-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners.
The Rangers also ended Seattle’s four-game winning streak.
“We needed it,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said. “Obviously, we need every win that we can get right now. It’s nice any time you can get a win. And we’re traveling out of here. Get on a plane and get to Minnesota and try to carry that momentum with us, and see if we can’t put a few more on the board.
“It’s no magic to this. When our starters go out there and throw quality starts for us and give this offense an opportunity, they have an opportunity to put runs on the board.”
DeShields set the tone by hitting his second leadoff homer of the year in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1. Texas took a 2-1 lead against Ariel Miranda (7-5) in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly from Adrian Beltre.
Gallo, who hit two homers Tuesday against the Mariners, connected on a solo shot in the fifth to push Texas’ lead to 3-1. The homer, the seventh for Gallo in his past 11 games and his 28th of the season, cleared the grass in center field at Globe Life Park and landed near a picnic table where fans were sitting.
Andrus added a two-run shot into the Seattle bullpen in the sixth inning off Miranda, who shares the American League with 27 home runs allowed.




The homers provided plenty of support for right-hander Andrew Cashner (7-8), who matched his career best by winning his third consecutive start. Cashner gave up one run and six hits in six innings with four strikeouts and no walks. He has allowed just five runs in his past three starts.
“I think my stuff was better maybe two months ago, but I think my sinker is probably the best it’s been in a long time right now,” Cashner said. “I’m doing a lot of things well. I’m running the four-seam up in the top of the zone. The breaking ball is better. The changeups are down. Overall, my stuff, just being able to locate up and down, has been a lot better.”
The Mariners were never able to get into a groove against him.
“We hit the ball hard, and you’ve got to hit the ball hard,” said Seattle outfielder Leonys Martin, who went 0-for-4. “(Cashner) attacked the strike zone, kept the ball down. We’ve got to keep doing what we’ve been doing. That’s what it’s all about. We feel we can sweep teams.”
Matt Bush, Jason Grilli and Jose Leclerc each pitched a scoreless inning in support of Cashner.
Seattle led 1-0 early. Jean Segura was hit by a pitch with one out in the first inning and stole second. Robinson Cano plated Segura with a single to center.
The Mariners had chances for more runs but left two runners on in the first, third, fourth and eighth innings. Seattle went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
“Home runs hurt us, and we just couldn’t get much going offensively, couldn’t get the big hit with runners in scoring position,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “Miranda’s stuff was actually OK. He made a couple mistakes, but they weren’t base hits or doubles; they just went over the fence. This certainly wasn’t the way we wanted to end this series here.”
Miranda allowed five runs (four earned) and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out five and didn’t issue a walk.
Cano went 2-for-3 for the Mariners, who had six hits. Andrus was 3-for-4, falling a triple shy of the cycle. Shin-Soo Choo had two of Texas’ nine hits.



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