ARLINGTON -- Mariners manager Scott Servais has mentioned more than once during this series that winning games on the road, and specifically at Globe Life Park, is difficult without some pretty significant run production.

While the Mariners’ 3-2 loss to the Rangers on Saturday is mostly pinned to reliever Matt Magill, who couldn’t close out a one-run lead in the bottom of the ninth, there were more layers to this loss than a simple blown save.

• Box score

Scoring opportunities, while scarce, were more plentiful than the final score indicated. Seattle's baserunning wasn’t great. And a wild ninth turned a quick-moving and rather pedestrian game that featured a strong five-inning start from lefty Tommy Milone into a disappointing finish for the Mariners, who later lamented several key moments that could have turned out differently, with better execution.

The play at the plate in the ninth was the most glaring.

Game of inches

The Mariners were clinging to a 2-1 lead in the ninth when Magill yielded a leadoff double to Elvis Andrus, who advanced to third on Willie Calhoun's groundout to first base. With Seattle's infield playing in, Nick Solak lined a sharp grounder to shortstop Dylan Moore. Moore's throw home appeared to arrive in time, but it was just a shade to the right of the plate, which forced catcher Austin Nola to reach across his body to attempt the tag.

Andrus slid headfirst and grazed the plate with his left hand -- and, initially -- he was called out by home-plate umpire Jansen Visconti. But a crew chief review overturned that call, and the game was tied at 2.

“That's a tough play,” Nola said. “When Elvis is running, he's a super fast guy. He knows how to make that play. He's probably done that a million times -- the contact play, the slide-around. You have to give it to him for getting an excellent read on it. There's nothing else you can do. He got a great read and had a great slide, too.”

Said Andrus: “Not to brag, but I was really surprised he called me out. Thank God for replay and everybody seeing I was safe."

The game ended minutes later.

Rougned Odor laced a ground ball that glanced off Dee Gordon’s glove, putting runners at second and third, then after the Mariners opted to intentionally walk pinch-hitter Danny Santana, Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled to right-center, bringing home the winning run.

Safety squeeze cross-up

Magill could have come in with a larger lead to work with had the Mariners better executed a prime scoring opportunity in the top of the ninth. With one out, Moore singled and advanced to third on Gordon's base hit. Keon Broxton showed bunt in a 1-0 count, but he did not make contact, while Moore, waiting to run on contact, lurched a little too far forward and was soon in a 2-5-2 rundown.

“You just have to wait to see the ball down, and Dylan got a little too anxious,” Servais said. “That's just like reading the ball off the bat. As soon as you see the ball down ... and Broxton did the right thing. You don't want to bunt that ball unless it's a strike. And he didn't. He took it. Dylan got a little too far off the bag.”

Moore also agreed he was overly anxious waiting for the bunt.

“Terrible read,” he said. “I have to see that down and was just a little too jumpy. I got a little too far out there. That's the toughest part. You have to calm yourself down and make sure you see what you see and not try to make the play yourself -- let the play happen. I got a little bit too jumpy and got caught out there.”

Short-handed

To no one’s fault, the Mariners were not playing at full strength in this game. Center fielder Jake Fraley was away for personal reasons, and shortstop J.P. Crawford was sidelined for a spell with a sore hamstring. That left only catcher Omar Narvaez on the bench.

With a full slate, Servais may have been able to pinch-hit for Broxton in the ninth with a stronger offensive player.

“We were up against it today with a couple guys not available off the bench,” Servais said. “It happens. You have to figure out a way to win the ballgame. We just didn't get it done at the end.”