Gonzales fans 9 on way to MLB-best 5th win

SEATTLE -- There’s a reason Marco Gonzales looks comfortable at T-Mobile Park and it’s not just because he’s the rare Mariner who makes his offseason home in Seattle and works out year-round at the stadium.

The former Gonzaga University standout threw another gem on his home field on Thursday night, becoming the first five-game winner in the Majors this year with seven scoreless innings as the Mariners rolled to a 14-2 victory over the Rangers.

Gonzales is the first Mariner in franchise history to win five games before the end of April. He won his season debut on March 20 against the Athletics in a game played in Japan.

“It’s a good start,” Gonzales said. “I’ve always been a firm believer in it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. I just want to keep that momentum going. I’ve really been happy with what my pitches have been doing lately and I want to keep that feeling going.”

The 27-year-old southpaw improved to 8-3 with a 3.23 ERA in 22 career outings at T-Mobile Park and hasn’t allowed a home run at home in his past seven starts, dating back to last year. That’s the longest homerless streak at home by a Mariners starter since an eight-game stretch by Aaron Sele in 2000-01.

“I love pitching in the Northwest,” Gonzales said. “Just the climate and the feel is really accommodating to how I pitch and what I like to do. I get juiced up to pitch here. For whatever reason, I like it a lot.”

Gonzales has been impressive everywhere since taking over as Seattle’s No. 1 starter this year. He equaled his career high with nine strikeouts while allowing six hits with no walks and is 5-0 with 2.80 ERA in seven starts this season and 6-0 with a 2.45 ERA in 11 starts since Sept. 11 of last season.

“Marco is a very good competitor,” manager Scott Servais said. “He’s got four quality pitches and when he gets them all going and mixes them, the sequences of his pitches is awesome. The back and forth, in and out, the cutter has been a big weapon for him. He’s a complete package. He’s a good fielder, he holds runners well, But ultimately it comes down to his competitiveness. He’s a tough nut out there.”

The Mariners took advantage of Rangers rookie Taylor Hearn in his Major League debut as the 24-year-old lefty gave up five runs (four earned) on four walks and three hits while getting just one out before being lifted.

Ryon Healy’s three-run double highlighted that frame and Gonzales easily made the early 5-0 lead hold up as Seattle snapped a three-game losing streak and moved past the Astros back into first place in the American League West at 17-11. The Rangers have lost four in a row in dropping to 12-12.

Busting out the bats

After totaling just two hits in a 1-0 loss in San Diego on Wednesday, the Mariners got back on track with their 14 hits and season-high 14 runs off six Texas pitchers (one being catcher Jeff Mathis).

Healy went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles, three RBIs and three runs scored, utility man Dylan Moore went 3-for-4 with a double and a walk in his first start in left field. Dee Strange-Gordon was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Tim Beckham was 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs.

Beckham’s two-run shot to center in the sixth increased Seattle’s MLB-leading long-ball total to 57, the second-most in Major League history in a team’s first 28 games of a season, behind only the 62 by the 2000 Cardinals.

“It was an impressive win tonight, one through nine,” Beckham said. “Everyone is continuing to put together good at-bats and be aggressive in the strike zone. And it was an impressive game by Marco. Every time that guy touches the mound, he’s a bulldog. I”m happy to be on this side of the ball with him.”

Gonzales appreciated the support.

“The toughest part about pitching on this team right now is what to do with my time while we’re hitting,” the southpaw said with a smile. “Trying to stay loose. I’m just so fortunate, on the nights I’ve pitched they’ve come out swinging. It just gives me so much confidence to go out and throw strikes and let ‘em hit it and just say, ‘Here you go” and just keep us ahead in the game.”