ARLINGTON -- The Rangers may be in last place, but that doesn't matter when a game is on the line.
A loss like Monday's is still tough to absorb, even on a hot August night when the postseason is not a possibility. The Rangers still weren't happy that they let it slip away in the 12th inning as the Mariners came away with a 4-3 victory at Globe Life Park.
"For sure, it's tough," Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus said. "We're playing hard. We're playing like we're in first place. We know we have games ahead of us, and we are going to battle right to the end. I like the way we are playing."
The Rangers trailed 3-0 against Mariners left-hander Wade LeBlanc through six innings before rallying to tie the game in the seventh. But they couldn't push across the go-ahead run and Seattle ended up winning on a two-out, run-scoring single by Ryon Healy just beyond the diving attempt of third baseman Adrian Beltre.
"Their left-hander kept us off balance, but we found a way to come back," Rangers infielder Jurickson Profar said. "To lose it in the final inning like that is tough."
Texas was outhit 14-6 on the night, but almost pulled off a second comeback in the 12th. A leadoff single by Robinson Chirinos and another with one out by Isiah Kiner-Falefa put runners on first and second against Mariners closer Edwin Diaz. But the All-Star right-hander retired Willie Calhoun on a popup and struck out Shin-Soo Choo to end the game.
Rangers manager Jeff Banister said there is still much for a young team to take away in a game like this.
"First of all, you stay focused the entire game," Banister said. "You have a great energy, you continue to play. You look at the board, you see the number of hits pretty well lopsided. Know that our bullpen is keeping us in the game, giving us an opportunity to continue to battle, fight through the whole thing. Doesn't matter if it's August, doesn't matter if it's April, you continue to fight."
Texas has lost two in a row, but has still won seven of its last 10.
"These young guys and veterans continued to fight through it, and I think the biggest thing is eventually these guys will learn to finish these type of games," Banister said. "It's a mindset, it's an approach. I'll reiterate it: I'm proud of how they played this game. It was a great game. We had their closer on the ropes there at the end. We continue to play, we continue to fight. We'll learn how to finish those games out."
Texas starter Martin Perez went seven innings, allowing three runs on 10 hits and three walks. Seattle was 2-for-9 off him with runners in scoring position.

The Rangers trailed, 3-0, going into the seventh and had just one hit off LeBlanc. But Andrus reached on a one-out infield single to extend his hitting streak to 17 games, the longest active streak in the Majors.
Seattle manager Scott Servais then brought in right-hander Adam Warren, but he walked Beltre and Profar lined a double down the left-field line to bring home the Rangers' first run. Chirinos was hit by a full-count pitch to load the bases, bringing up Joey Gallo.

Servais brought in left-hander Zach Duke but Gallo, after falling behind 1-2 in the count, drew a walk to force in a run. Right-hander Alex Colome took over and Kiner-Falefa lined a single to right to bring home the tying run. The Rangers couldn't get the lead though as Calhoun flied out to shallow left and Choo struck out.
"I think LeBlanc kept us off balance … just kept it out of the middle of the plate," Banister said. "Seemed like maybe were a little anxious, didn't let the ball travel early. When they made the pitching change, our guys seemed to get a little better locked in, some better at-bats. I thought through the entire set, from the seventh on, our approaches were good. We had the bases loaded there in the seventh. Had an opportunity. We get a productive out there, it's a different situation."
Mazara slated for rehab, could return soon
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Profar almost won it with two outs in the bottom of the 11th for the Rangers. He launched one to deep center off of Mariners reliever Sam Tuivailala that sent Cameron Maybin to the wall, but Maybin had just enough room to make the catch.

"I think I need to lift [weights] more," Profar said. "I hit it good, but … "
SOUND SMART
Gallo's bases-loaded walk in the seventh extended his career-best streak of an RBI in five consecutive games. It is the longest such streak by the Rangers this year.

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Second baseman Rougned Odor turned a nice double play to cut short the Mariners' sixth-inning rally when he ranged behind the bag to grab Dee Gordon's grounder. Odor stepped on second and made a jump-throw to first for the second out.

HE SAID IT
"Good game. I just want to throw innings and quality starts. We were playing good. I just want to pitch, do my job and give my team a chance to win the game." -- Perez, who is winless in five starts since coming off the disabled list
MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
The Mariners challenged that Chirinos was hit by a pitch in the seventh. Servais claimed the ball hit the bat before being caught by catcher Mike Zunino. He wanted a strikeout, but the call was upheld by review.

UP NEXT
Bartolo Colon pitches for the Rangers against the Mariners' Felix Hernandez on Tuesday in a battle of two veteran former Cy Young Award winners at Globe Life Park. Colon leads all active pitchers with 548 career starts while Hernandez is sixth with 397 starts. Colon is going for his 246th win, which would be the most by a pitcher from the Dominican Republic. Hernandez has 168 career wins, the most by a pitcher from Venezuela. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. CT.