Mariners’ streak snapped

SEATTLE – Michael Young had three hits and drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning to help the Texas Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2 on Sunday.

With one out, reliever Jon Huber (1-1) walked Gerald Laird then Gary Matthews Jr. singled to left. Both moved up on a passed ball by catcher Rene Rivera. Then on an 0-2 pitch from Huber, Young reached out to poke the ball through the left side. The Rangers added another run when Matthews scored on a double-play rundown.

C.J. Wilson (2-2) picked up the victory for the Rangers. Akinori Otsuka worked the ninth for his 32nd save in 35 chances. The loss ended the Mariners four-game win streak.Texas opened the game with successive singles by Matthews and Young off starter Felix Hernandez. Mark Teixeira forced Young at second as the Mariners just missed turning a double play. Matthews would tag and score on Carlos Lee’s shallow sacrifice fly to left.

Rangers starter Adam Eaton was sharp for the first five innings, but struggled in the sixth. Ichiro Suzuki led off with a double, moved to third on Chris Snelling’s bunt and scored on Yuniesky Betancourt’s RBI single.

The Mariners continued to threaten after Ibanez’s single moved Betancourt to third with one out. But Richie Sexson bounced into a 6-4-3 double play, one of three turned behind Eaton. Eaton worked six-plus innings, allowing two runs on eight hits, striking out five and didn’t walk a batter.

Young put the Rangers ahead again 2-1 in the seventh with a double into the left-field corner that scored Matthews all the way from first. But Ben Broussard, who came to Seattle July 26 from Cleveland, responded with a solo shot in the seventh, his career-high 20th home run.

Broussard, whose home run attempt barely drifted foul in his previous at-bat, hit the foul pole for his seventh home run for the Mariners.