Arlington, TX (SportsNetwork.com) – Logan Morrison went 4-for-5 with a two-run
double, Felix Hernandez put forth another effective start and the Seattle
Mariners finished off a rare road sweep of the Texas Rangers with a 5-2
decision.
Hernandez (4-0) held Texas’ struggling offense to two runs and five hits over
6 2/3 solid innings, with Morrison’s tie-breaking hit in the fifth putting the
Seattle ace in line to win a third conseuctive start.
Nelson Cruz added two hits, including his 10th homer of the young season, to
help the Mariners record their first sweep of at least three games in
Arlington since taking four straight meetings from April 12-15, 2002.
Hernandez, meanwhile, posted his first victory in Texas since Sept. 28, 2010.
The Rangers have now dropped six of seven and produced a meager four runs for
the series. Carlos Peguero and Carlos Corporan each had an RBI in Wednesday’s
setback.
Texas also received a shaky start from Wandy Rodriguez (0-1), who walked five
while surrendering four runs in just 4 1/3 innings.
Rodriguez was able to work his way out of a couple of earlier jams to keep the
game tied at 2-2 up until the fifth inning, which Justin Ruggiano began with a
double and Rodriguez issued two more walks — an intentional one to Cruz and
an unintended free pass to Rickie Weeks that loaded the bases with one out.
Morrison followed with a hard grounder that Rangers first baseman Kyle Blanks
couldn’t field cleanly, with the ball trickling down the right-field line as a
pair of runners crossed the plate.
Hernandez, who struck out just four but walked only one, was inconsistent
early on but at his best late, retiring nine of the final 10 hitters he faced
before Danny Farquhar and Fernando Rodney combined for 2 1/3 perfect innings.
Rodney worked a spotless ninth for his seventh save, entering with a 5-2 lead
after Seattle’s Robinson Cano scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth
by reaching on an error and eventually coming on a wild pitch.
Cruz had opened the scoring with a long home run to left to start the second
inning. The blast preceded a walk to Weeks and singles by Morrison and Willie
Bloomquist, though Rodriguez was able to limit the damage to just one more run
by getting Mike Zunino to ground into a double play.
Hernandez uncharacteristically gave the lead up in Texas’ half of the frame.
The All-Star hurler walked Adrian Beltre and Peguero drove his teammate home
with a double on the eighth pitch of his at-bat, with Corporan later coming
through with a two-out single that forged a 2-2 tie.
Game Notes
Hernandez had gone 0-3 with a pair of no-decisions over his five previous
starts at Globe Life Park … Blanks had his contract purchased from Triple-A
Round Rock prior to the game to replace first baseman/DH Mitch Moreland,
expected to miss 2-to-3 weeks after undergoing elbow surgery Wednesday …
Peguero’s RBI double in the second halted an 0-for-15 skid … Stolmy Pimentel
tossed three scoreless innings in relief of Rodriguez.
