ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kyle Seager, Tom Murphy and Daniel Vogelbach hit home runs and the Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 11-3 on Sunday.
Seager sealed the victory with a three-run homer in the eighth inning. In 153 career games against the Rangers, he has 28 homers and 99 RBIs, his most against any team.
Yusei Kikuchi (6-9) benefited from Seattle’s four first-inning runs. Dee Gordon chased Brett Martin (1-3) from the game after just two outs with a two-run single.
Texas loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first but managed only one run on a groundout by Rougned Odor.
The Mariners stretched their lead to 6-1 in the third when the first two batters, Murphy and Vogelbach, homered against Luke Farrell. Vogelbach drove in two runs, one with a bases-loaded walk in the first.
In the bottom of the third, Rangers rookie Nick Solak tripled home a run and scored on another grounder by Odor.
Newly recalled Rangers right-hander Ian Gibaut retired the first five batters he faced but wildness led to him walking in a run with two out in the fifth for a 7-3 Mariners lead. The Mariners drew nine walks from seven Texas pitchers, who also hit three batters.
Seager’s homer increased the lead to 10-3. Tim Lopes drove in the final run with a ninth-inning double.
Kikuchi allowed three runs in five innings. He has exceeded five innings in only one of his last six starts.
The teams split the four-game set. Seattle won the season series 12-7.
REMEMBRANCE
There was a moment of silence before the game for the victims of a mass shooting in West Texas on Saturday. Seven people were killed and 22 were injured.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: SS J.P. Crawford sat out his second straight game because of a tight right hamstring. “He’s going to fly back to Seattle,” manager Scott Servais said. “Doctors are going to take a look at him. My guess is he’s going to be out at least a week.”
Rangers: RHP Edinson Volquez (strained elbow) was activated from the 60-day injured list and pitched for the first time since April 4 with a hitless seventh inning. The 15-year veteran is expected to retire at the end of the season. “He’s put a lot of effort into the culture of the clubhouse,” manager Chris Woodward said. “It’s the least we can do for his sake.” . Woodward said he didn’t know when OF Joey Gallo, recovering from a broken right hamate bone, might return. “I think he’s going to take batting practice in New York. It’s a little bit sore.”
UP NEXT
Mariners: LHP Justus Sheffield (0-1, 7.94) will make his third major league start Monday against Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks (9-9, 3.47) in the first of two games in Chicago
Rangers: LHP Mike Minor (11-8, 3.25) will oppose Yankees RHP Masahiro Tanaka (10-7, 4.47) in the opener of a three-game series in New York.
