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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Ibanez delivers game-winning hit as M’s top Rangers


Mariners reliever Masao Kida delivers a pitch Sunday.
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press

SURPRISE, Ariz. – Alfonso Soriano homered to snap an 0-for-17 start this spring and Richard Hidalgo hit a pair of two-run shots, but Raul Ibanez’s tiebreaking single sent the Seattle Mariners to a 7-6 victory Sunday over the Texas Rangers.

Ibanez finished 2 for 3 to raise his spring training average to .519 (14 for 27).

All three Rangers homers came off Ryan Franklin, who has given up 67 homers over the last two seasons. But he retired his last six batters after Soriano and Hidalgo connected in the third.

“The mistakes he made were hit hard,” pitching coach Bryan Price said. “I don’t think he pitched very well the first three innings, and he established it a little bit in the fourth. That’s really important.”

Franklin gave up five runs and six hits in four innings.

The Rangers led 5-0 after Hidalgo hit his second homer, his fourth of the spring, in the third. Soriano, limited during the offseason by a left hamstring injury, led off the inning with a home run.

“I hope to continue to feel comfortable in my leg,” Soriano said. “I feel good. Today was the best feeling in my leg. That’s the most important thing.”

Ricky Gutierrez had a two-run single and Bret Boone a sacrifice fly in Seattle’s three-run fourth. Randy Winn later hit a two-run single and finished 2 for 3.

Scott Atchison pitched two innings for the save. Doug Brocail pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings for the Rangers.

Seattle closer Eddie Guardado, expected to be out at least two more weeks with a strained right hamstring, played catch. So did RHP Joel Pineiro (stiff right shoulder).