Mariners 7 - 5 Rangers
Final
  for this game

Morales, Mariners top Rangers

Sep 6, 2014 - 6:06 AM Arlington, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Kendrys Morales hit a pair of two-run homers and the Seattle Mariners defeated the Texas Rangers, 7-5, in the second of four games on Friday.

Brad Miller hit a two-run homer and Mike Zunino added a solo shot for Seattle. which won its fourth straight game and vaulted a half game ahead of Detroit for the American League's second wild-card spot.

"They elevated some balls in the strike zone and we took advantage of them," M's manager Lloyd McClendon said.

Hisashi Iwakuma (14-6) gave up just three runs on seven hits with one walk and five strikeouts to win his fifth consecutive decision.

Adam Rosales hit a two-run homer, Rougned Odor drove in a run and Leonys Martin had three hits and a run scored for the Rangers.

Ron Washington, who managed the Rangers since the start of the 2007 season, resigned from his position prior to the game for personal reasons. Tim Bogar was appointed interim manager for the remainder of the season.

Scott Baker (3-4), who entered the game with three straight winning decisions, gave up five runs on four hits and a walk across 4 1/3 frames as Texas lost its seventh straight game.

"I just didn't make my pitches when I needed to," Baker said

Seattle opened the scoring in the second. Kyle Seager worked a leadoff walk before Morales belted a 2-2 offering over the right-field wall for a 2-0 score.

Tomas Telis singled and Adrian Beltre walked with one out in the fourth. Odor plated Telis with an RBI base hit up the middle to make it a 2-1 game.

Seattle scored three runs in the fifth. Zunino hit his 20th homer of the season, a solo shot to right center field. Endy Chavez singled, but left the game after sliding into shortstop Luis Sardinas' knee while stealing second. James Jones replaced him and Miller brought him in with a two-run shot to right for a 5-1 lead.

The Rangers loaded the bases off three straight singles with no outs in the home half. Elvis Andrus hit into a double play that allowed Sardinas to come home. Telis grounded out to second to end the frame.

In the sixth, Morales made it a 7-2 contest with his second homer of the night, a two-run blast that brought in Seager.

Beltre led off the bottom of the sixth with a single to right and moved to third on consecutive groundouts. Rosales then greeted reliever Brandon Maurer with a two-run shot to left.

Martin doubled to center off Fernando Rodney to start the bottom of the ninth. He stole second, advanced to third and scored on a wild pitch. Rodney held on to record his 42nd save of the season.

Game Notes

Seattle has homered in a season-high seven games ... Mariners outfielder Austin Jackson has hit in 11 straight games against Texas ... Seager extended his hitting streak to 10 games ... Zunino set the franchise record for home runs in a season by a catcher with 20.






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