OUR PICK: Both the Rangers and Mariners have been great plays for bettors with today’s respective starters on the hill, but it’s Texas that is 5-0 in its last five games versus Seattle.
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“I talked to (Shin-Soo) Choo, I talked to (Adrian) Beltre and (Carlos) Beltran, and they gave me a couple tips”, Odor said.
Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Arquimedes Caminero throws against the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in Seattle. Mariners DH Nelson Cruz missed the final two games in Texas last week but homered in each of his last three contests.2. The Rangers are also a ideal 6-0 in Hamels’ last six starts versus the Mariners, who are just 1-7 in their last eight games overall.
Seattle Mariners’ Robinson Cano turns away from the plate and stretches after called strike as he batter in the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in Seattle. Cano popped out on the at-bat. Claudio came on after another rough start from LHP Cole Hamels, taking the ball in the second inning and holding Seattle to two hits as the Rangers turned a 7-0 deficit into a more manageable score of 7-5.
The Rangers, who have some question marks in their pitching rotation, have largely ridden their bats to a huge lead in the American League West. Tuesday’s win kept Texas 11 1/2 games ahead of second-place Houston, and the Rangers’ magic number sits at 16.
James Paxton (4-6) allowed six runs – four earned – and nine hits, throwing 103 pitches in 4 1/3 innings. Sam Dyson pitched the ninth for his 32nd save.
Rangers: Banister said “high stress” innings – multiple runners on, pitches in an inning – are factored into pitching decisions. Drew Storen replaced Paxton and gave up another run on a pair of doubles.
Andrus opened the seventh with his fifth home run off Arquimedes Caminero to make it 8-4.
Leonys Martin’s sacrifice fly made it 8-6, but Kela retired the next two batters.
Andrus added an RBI double in the eighth. Pinch hitter Seth Smith connected for a home run off Matt Bush in the eighth to make it 9-7.
Texas countered that run, too, when Lucroy drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning against Pat Venditte.
Seattle, which was 10 games above.500 on August 22, fell to 70-68 and 12 1/2 games behind the Rangers.
“I understand what we’re trying to accomplish here and when you’re not able to do it, especially twice in a row with the type of situations that I’ve come out of the game with, there’s probably more disappointment in the fact of not being able to give this team a chance to win”, Hamels said.
Cano’s 32 homers this season are one off his career high set in 2012 while with the New York Yankees.
Paxton struck out four in the first inning, with one of them costing him a run. Ian Desmond struck out but reached first after a wild pitch. Carlos Beltran singled him to third and Adrian Beltre punched an opposite-field dribbler into right for an RBI single.
Mariners: RHP Tom Wilhelmsen, on the 15-day DL with lower back spasms, is expected to throw a simulated game on Thursday. He allowed one run in eight innings in eight rehab outings with Triple A-Round Rock and Double-A Frisco. Seattle recalled OF Norichika Aoki from Triple-A Tacoma. The loss snapped an eight-start unbeaten streak for Fernandez, who allowed as many runs to the Rangers as his previous four turns combined. He tossed six shutout innings in the Rangers’ 14-1 win over the Mariners last Wednesday.
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Mariners: LHP Ariel Miranda (2-1, 5.76 ERA) makes his sixth start since being acquired from Baltimore on July 31 in the trade for Wade Miley.
