Mariners 2 - 3 Rangers
Final
  for this game

Rangers rally in 9th, top Mariners

Apr 17, 2014 - 7:18 AM Arlington, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Leonys Martin delivered the game-winning single to left in the home half of the ninth inning and the Texas Rangers rallied to beat the Seattle Mariners, 3-2, on Wednesday from Globe Life Park.

Fernando Rodney (0-1) took the hill in the ninth trying to make a 2-1 lead hold up and retired the first two batters he faced before running into trouble. Kevin Kouzmanoff singled up the middle and Mitch Moreland walked to put two on. Donnie Murphy then stepped up as a pinch-hitter and grounded to short, but Brad Miller's toss to Robinson Cano covering second pulled him off the bag and all three runners were safe.

Kouzmanoff scored on a wild pitch during Martin's at-bat, and Martin looped a base-hit to left to win it and give Texas a 2-1 lead in this four-game series. It was Martin's third career walk-off hit.

"You just try to create that opportunity, and Leonys got up there and made it happen," said Moreland. "You've got to tip your hat to what our pitchers did all game."

Yu Darvish, who hadn't allowed a run in 15 innings before Wednesday, started for the Rangers and gave up both runs on seven hits while striking out eight. Pedro Figueroa (1-1) spun a perfect ninth to earn the win.

Nick Franklin started Seattle's two-run second inning with a triple to the wall in right-center with one away. Darvish then struck out Justin Smoak but walked Dustin Ackley to put two on for Mike Zunino, who lined a single up the middle to plate Franklin and break Darvish's scoreless streak at 17 2/3 innings. Abraham Almonte followed by slapping an RBI single to left.

Texas went scoreless against Mariners ace Felix Hernandez for seven innings but Martin started the eighth with a triple to right, chasing the Seattle ace from contest. Hernandez was charged with one run on four hits while striking out nine.

"Felix did a great job," said Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon. "He got tired a little bit in the eighth inning ... but he did a fabulous job for us."

Charlie Furbush relieved him and allowed a sacrifice fly to pinch-hitter Michael Choice as the Rangers cut their deficit in half, setting up the comeback in the ninth.

Game Notes

Almonte and Zunino had two hits apiece for Seattle, with Almonte also stealing a base ... Erasmo Ramirez and Tanner Scheppers are set to take the mound in Thursday's series finale ... Seattle has now been outscored 13-0 in the eighth inning this season.






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