Rangers Lose To Seattle
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SEATTLE – Texas Rangers starter Matt Harrison made an impressive return from back surgery on Sunday, but it was Kyle Seager of the Seattle Mariners who stole the show — again.
Seager’s two home runs included a two-out, three-run shot in the bottom of the eighth inning that provided the winning runs in Seattle’s 6-5 victory over the Rangers.
“He’s starting to heat up a little bit,” Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said of Seager, who has now hit five home runs in a stretch of four games – including two game-winners. “He’s been uplifting to us, especially on this homestand.”
Seager’s two home runs came after Harrison and the Rangers (15-10) had built a 5-0 lead through the top of the fourth inning. The Seattle third baseman hit a solo shot to pull the Mariners within 5-3 in the seventh inning, then added the three-run homer on a 1-0 pitch from reliever Alex Ogando in the eighth.
“Obviously, it’s been a good run,” said Seager, who has gone 8-for-15 from the plate with five home runs over the past four games to bring his season batting average from .156 to .228. “If you just continue to stay with the program and not panic, you hope it’ll come around sooner rather than later.”
His Sunday heroics overshadowed a stellar start from Harrison, who appeared to be
well on his way to his first major league win since Sept. 2012. In his first game back from back surgery one year ago, Harrison gave up just two earned runs on three hits over six innings of work. He left the game with a 5-2 lead.
“I felt good about it,” Harrison said. “I’m just glad to be back. It’s been a long road.”
After Seattle starter Brandon Maurer got chased on Michael Choice’s two-run double in the top of the fourth inning, the Mariners’ bullpen shut down the Texas bats to set up the comeback. Four Seattle relievers combined to throw 5 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just one hit in that span.
Closer Fernando Rodney struck out two during a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his fifth save of the season. Seattle reliever Danny Farquhar (1-0) got the win.
“The bullpen threw the heck out of the ball today,” Maurer said.
Seager’s first home run of the game led off the seventh inning, welcoming reliever Shawn Tolleson to the game.
Ogando (1-2) came on for Texas in the eighth and dominated early, throwing eight consecutive strikes while fanning second baseman Robinson Cano and designated hitter Corey Hart. After Ogando missed high on an 0-2 pitch to Seattle’s Justin Smoak, the Mariners first baseman drilled a 1-2 pitch into the left-field corner for a double.
Pinch hitter Dustin Ackley followed with an infield single, bringing Seager to the plate with two on and two outs. Seager took Ogando deep into the right-field corner on a 1-0 pitch, hitting a three-run homer to give Seattle a 6-5 lead.
Four days earlier, in the series finale against Houston, Seager hit his second home run of the game, a walk-off shot in the bottom of the ninth inning, to beat the Astros 5-3.
Before his run of five homers in the past four games, Seager had gone homerless over the first 20 games of the season.
“I’ve been putting in some good work in the (batting) cage,” Seager said. “It’s starting to pay off.”
On Sunday, the Rangers (15-10) spotted Harrison with an early cushion, taking a 5-0 lead on Choice’s two-run double in the top of the fourth. That ended the afternoon for Maurer, who gave up five earned runs off seven hits over 3 2/3 innings of work.
The Rangers scored on designated hitter Mitch Moreland’s RBI single and added a run when Seattle’s Stefen Romero misplayed the ball in right field, giving Texas a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Center fielder Leonys Martin and Choice added RBIs in the three-run top of the fourth as the Rangers opened up a 5-0 advantage on Maurer.
Seattle finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth, with right fielder Stefen Romero scoring on a Cano double. Harrison gave up a walk and single to load the bases with two outs before striking out Seager to get out of that jam.
Harrison was making his first start since April 6, 2013, when he suffered a loss to the Los Angeles Angels and landed on the disabled list because of back problems. He underwent surgery for a herniated disk in his lower back on April 23 of last year and missed the rest of the season.
The 28-year-old southpaw went 0-2 in two starts last season. He threw 95 pitches Sunday, with four strikeouts and two walks.
“He looked really sharp,” Texas manager Ron Washington said. “But that’s why you have to get 27 outs.”
