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Beltre, Mariners try to close season with win

Oct 1, 2006 - 3:12 PM Texas (80-81) at Seattle (77-84) 4:05 pm EDT

SEATTLE (Ticker) -- It is too bad that Adrian Beltre waited until the end of the season to swing a really hot bat.

Beltre and the Seattle Mariners look to take the rubber game of their three-game series against the Texas Rangers in the season finale Sunday.

Following a series' opening 6-5 setback Friday, the Mariners responded with a 3-1 victory Saturday as Beltre recorded his second multi-homer game this year. He has 25 home runs, including three in this set.

An early disappointment for Seattle, Beltre hit .280 with nine homers and 28 RBI in 25 games in September.

Jake Woods (6-4, 4.27 ERA) makes the last start of the year for Seattle. The lefthander tries to cap the year on a good note after being charged with six runs and 11 hits in just four innings of a 12-3 setback to Oakland on Tuesday.

The Rangers turn to Robinson Tejeda (5-4, 4.19), who tries to close the campaign with consecutive wins. He yielded a run and a season high-tying 10 hits in 6 2/3 frames of a 5-2 triumph over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Tuesday.

Tejeda dropped a 6-3 decision to the Mariners 11 days ago. He was reached for five runs - two earned - and eight hits in five innings.

Mark Teixeira hit his 33rd home run on Saturday for Texas, which will finish third in the American League West for the third straight season. Seattle will end up fourth and last for the third consecutive time.