Seager's HR caps M's late rally over Rangers

SEATTLE -- Kyle Seager picked a timely moment for his first Safeco Field home run of the year, launching a go-ahead solo shot off Rangers reliever Sam Dyson in the eighth as the Mariners came from behind on Sunday for a 4-3 series-clinching win.
Seager's high-arching blast into the right-field seats was just his second long ball of the season after hitting a career-best 30 in 2016. The Mariners won their fourth straight series at Safeco, where they are 10-5, compared to 5-12 on the road.
"I've been feeling good the last couple days and hitting the ball a little harder," said Seager, who went 2-for-3 with a walk and also flew out to the center-field wall in the fourth. "Thankfully that one got out."
Andrew Cashner threw six-plus innings of one-run ball, but he was denied his first win for the Rangers when the bullpen let a 3-0 lead slip away. Cashner gave up four singles and three walks and is 0-3 with a 2.63 ERA in five starts for Texas, which is 1-5 against Seattle and 13-19 on the year.
"We've got to find a way to move past and keep grinding," manager Jeff Banister said. "Is it frustrating...yes. We can look at different things. We can look at us 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. That's as much of a challenge as the walks."

The Rangers scored on sacrifice flies in the first and seventh innings and pushed across a run in the second on a groundout to piece together the three-run lead, but Seattle matched that in the seventh with four walks and a two-run, pinch-hit single by Danny Valencia.

Left-hander Dillon Overton got the spot start for Seattle in place of an injured James Paxton, lasting just 3 1/3 innings as he needed 71 pitches while allowing four hits and two runs (one earned). Christian Bergman, called up from Triple-A Tacoma before the game, kept the Mariners close by allowing just one hit and one run in 3 2/3 innings of relief.

• Overton-Bergman duo helps patchwork rotation
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Special K: Strikeouts have been an issue for the Rangers, who had whiffed 10-plus times in seven straight games -- an American League record -- coming in. But Texas found a positive in its first strikeout on Sunday as Mike Napoli reached base when his swinging third strike got past veteran Mariners catcher Carlos Ruiz on a passed ball leading off the second. Napoli then moved to third on Jonathan Lucroy's double to left and scored on a ground ball by Shin-Soo Choo to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead. Texas would have tied a Major League record if it had struck out 10 times again, but the club wound up with nine on the day.

Rzepczynski strikes out Gallo: Rangers manager Jeff Banister made an interesting move in the eighth after a two-out double by Lucroy off right-hander Nick Vincent. He sent up Joey Gallo to pinch-hit for Ryan Rua, which allowed Mariners manager Scott Servais to bring in Marc Rzepczynski for a lefty-versus-lefty matchup. Left-handed hitters were 0-for-19 off Rzepczynski coming into the game, and he struck out Gallo on three pitches.
"We've got 10 home runs and 21 RBIs sitting on the bench, a guy who can hit the ball out of the ballpark," Banister said. "We have a choice of Rua facing a right-hander with a little velo -- that can be a challenge -- or go with a guy who has been in situations of driving in runs. He hits some left-handers. Rzepczynski, we've seen him make a mistake before."

Rangers walk Mariners back: The Rangers, who lead the American League in bases on balls allowed, were up 3-0 going into the seventh, but four walks helped the Mariners tie the score. Cashner walked the first batter and was replaced by José Leclerc, who was pitching for the first time in five days. Leclerc walked three of five batters to force in a run. Alex Claudio took over and gave up a two-run single to Valencia, who didn't start the game due to a tight hamstring.
"Jose was overthrowing, just trying to throw too hard," Lucroy said. "Walks killed us. That was the nail in the coffin." More >
QUOTABLE
"Kyle Seager had a really good series. It didn't always show up in the box score in the number of hits, but the number of balls he's hit hard in the last 3-4 games, he's really starting to get locked in. The nice thing is we're starting to get our offense rolling a little and it's been different guys almost every night. And that's what it takes." -- Servais
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Mariners shortstop Jean Segura went 2-for-3 and walked in Seattle's first run in the seventh-inning rally. He has hit .400 with 12 runs and 10 RBIs in 12 games since returning from the disabled list with a strained hamstring.

WHAT'S NEXT
Rangers: Right-hander Nick Martinez pitches against the Padres at 9:10 p.m. CT on Monday at Petco Park. Martinez has never faced the Padres and is 2-0 with a 4.88 ERA in six games (five starts) in Interleague play.
Mariners: After an off-day on Monday, southpaw Aríel Miranda will move ahead of Hisashi Iwakuma (bruised knee) in the rotation to start Tuesday's 4:05 p.m. PT series opener in Philadelphia. Miranda (3-2, 3.55 ERA) has never faced the Phillies.
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