ARLINGTON, Texas – Manager Lloyd McClendon wouldn’t make the easy excuse for his team being shut out Sunday for the 16th time this season. With a three-hour-plus rain delay pushing the end of Saturday night’s game to about 1:30 a.m. local time Sunday, it would be understandable that players from both teams would be a little sluggish for the Sunday matinee at Globe Life Park.

In two key situations on Sunday, Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon declined strategic options.

ARLINGTON, Texas – It took a little while for them to get going. A 3-hour, 13-minute rain delay of sitting around and waiting can make even the most energetic of players lethargic. But with most people in bed or wishing they were, the Seattle Mariners did what they were supposed to do – beat a bad Texas team and add to their lead in the race for the final American League wild-card spot.

ARLINGTON, Texas – The Seattle Mariners patiently have waited for Kendrys Morales to come around. Looking to bolster a sagging offense and add a presence to the middle of the order, Seattle reacquired Morales on July 24 in trade with the Twins. Only the Morales they got back has yet to produce quite like the Morales they saw all of last season - the one who batted .272 with 22 homers and 73 RBI last season for Seattle.

Robinson Cano had his first four-RBI game for the Mariners, giving them a big early lead on the way to a 10-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Thursday night.

OAKLAND, Calif. – Felix Hernandez was, well, Felix Hernandez again and when he’s like that the Mariners don’t lose very often, particularly to the Oakland Athletics. In what could also be a possible pitching preview of the American League wild card game if the Mariners were to secure a playoff spot, Hernandez outdueled Oakland ace Jon Lester in a showdown between two of baseball’s top pitchers.

Kyle Seager and Corey Hart homered leading off the seventh inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 2-1 on Wednesday to win the three-game series between the A.L. playoff contenders.