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M's score 3 in the 9th to beat Rangers

Apr 12, 2012 - 6:21 AM Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - John Jaso's RBI single capped a three-run ninth inning the Seattle Mariners used to top the Texas Rangers, 4-3, in the third of a four-game series at Rangers Ballpark.

Jesus Montero had a sacrifice fly and Michael Saunders had a run-scoring double in the ninth before Jaso slapped a base hit up the middle for the game- deciding run to snap the Mariners' two-game losing streak.

Kevin Millwood made his Mariners debut and allowed one run on four hits and three walks while striking out seven through a six-inning start. Lucas Luetge (1-0) earned the win with 1 1/3 innings of relief before Brandon League stranded the tying run on second base for his third save of the year.

"He's got some life on his fastball and he's a little sneaky," Rangers outfielder David Murphy said about Millwood. He's done it for a long time, he knows how to pitch and he ended up doing a great job tonight."

Joe Nathan (0-2) allowed all three runs on four hits in the ninth inning to suffer the loss.

Ian Kinsler, who signed a five-year extension with the Rangers earlier Wednesday, and Elvis Andrus both homered for Texas, which had its three-game win streak come to an end.

Seattle entered the ninth trailing 3-1, before Justin Smoak opened the inning with a base hit and Kyle Seager followed with a double to right, placing runners on second and third.

Montero stepped up next and lifted a sacrifice fly to right field that brought Smoak home and moved pinch runner Munenori Kawasaki to third.

Saunders' double into right-center field then plated Kawasaki and after Brendan Ryan struck out, Jaso followed by blooping a 2-2 curveball into the grass in shallow center field to bring home Saunders.

Mitch Moreland hit a one-out single off League and then moved to second on a wild pitch to place the game-tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth, but League fanned Kinsler before Smoak made a diving grab of an Andrus liner to first base to seal the win for Seattle.

"You have got to keep fighting through at-bats and eventually you'll break through, and that's what we did late," Mariners manager Eric Wedge said.

After Seattle failed to capitalize on Dustin Ackley's one-out double in the top of the first, Texas recorded the game's first run in the bottom of the frame when Josh Hamilton hit a two-out double and then came home two batters later on Michael Young's base hit.

Nelson Cruz then worked a walk to load the bases, but Millwood fanned Murphy to get out of the jam and keep it a 1-0 game.

The Mariners threatened to tie the game in the fourth inning when Smoak led off with a double to right, but Seager popped out to short, Montero grounded out to second, which moved Smoak to third, and Saunders struck out to keep the Rangers on top.

Colby Lewis retired the next eight batters he faced until Saunders' two-out double in the seventh resulted in Alexi Ogando getting the call.

He fanned Ryan to keep Seattle off the board, and Texas added to its lead in the bottom half of the inning when Kinsler and Andrus smacked back-to-back home runs to left field off Steve Delabar for a 3-0 Rangers' advantage.

Seattle recorded its first run of the contest in the eighth when Jaso led off the inning with a triple and crossed the plate two batters later on Ackley's base hit.

Game Notes

Lewis scattered five hits and struck out six through 6 2/3 innings for the Rangers...Texas had won seven straight against Seattle dating to last season...Seattle finished 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base, while the Rangers hit 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight.