Beltre hits for the cycle

ARLINGTON, Texas – The toughest part of Adrian Beltre’s day came when he entered the Seattle clubhouse.

The Mariners third baseman received a congratulatory beer shower after hitting for the cycle against the Texas Rangers in a 12-6 victory Monday night.

“I’m still shaking,” Beltre said. “I don’t like that feeling. But I’ll take it. If I have to do it tomorrow, I’ll do it again.”

Beltre became the fourth Seattle player to hit for the cycle and had five hits to help the Mariners win their fourth straight game. Beltre, who had the third five-hit game of his career, finished off the cycle with an RBI triple off Josh Rupe in the eighth.

“I’ve seen guys do it and it was pretty cool,” Beltre said. “It’s pretty special. I’m proud of it.”

Beltre, who signed a five-year contract with the Mariners before the 2005 season, has battled injuries during most of his stay in Seattle. He’s had a left thumb injury for parts of the past two seasons.

“He’s the toughest ballplayer I’ve ever seen,” Mariners manager Jim Riggleman said. “He plays through nagging injuries, through pain. He’s an animal out there. I’m just very happy for him. He’s starting to put up some numbers that are starting to reflect how good a player he is.”

Beltre homered for the third time in two games leading off the second, had an RBI single in the fourth and singled in the sixth off Rangers starter Matt Harrison. He doubled off Rangers reliever Luis Mendoza (3-7) in Seattle’s four-run seventh.

Beltre’s bid for a six-hit game came up short when he grounded out in the ninth inning.

John Olerud was the last Mariner to hit for the cycle, doing so on June 16, 2001, against the San Diego Padres.

Arizona’s Stephen Drew hit for the cycle earlier Monday against St. Louis. It was the first time two players hit for the cycle on the same day since Sept. 17, 1920, when Bobby Veach of the Detroit Tigers and George Burns of the New York Giants did it, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Beltre also became the fourth Seattle player to score five runs.

Three of Beltre’s hits came on 0-2 pitches – something that frustrated Rangers manager Ron Washington.

“Beltre is known to be a darn good hitter,” Washington said. “You can’t make those mistakes.”

Sean Green (4-4) pitched three scoreless innings in relief to help the Mariners post their first four-game winning streak of the season.

Josh Hamilton homered and drove in his 118th RBI, and former Spokane Indian Taylor Teagarden hit a three-run blast after being recalled earlier in the day for Texas.

The Mariners, who trailed 6-4, scored a run on Jamie Burke’s single in the sixth and added four more in the seventh.

After Mendoza retired the leadoff man in the seventh, the next six Seattle batters reached base.

Raul Ibanez tied the game at 6 with an RBI single to set the stage for Jeremy Reed, who was pinch hitting for Wladimir Balentien.

Reed grounded a single under the glove of second baseman Joaquin Arias to put the Mariners ahead 8-6. Burke hit a sacrifice fly to cap Seattle’s scoring in the seventh.

Seattle, which has the worst record in the American League, pounded out a season-high 20 hits and equaled its season-best with 12 runs.

Mariners starter Carlos Silva allowed six runs and 10 hits after being activated from the disabled list before the game.

Harrison allowed five runs and 10 hits in 52/3 innings for the Rangers, who lost for the 10th time in 12 home games.

Teagarden, a member of the bronze medal winning team in the Olympics, replaced an injured Jarrod Saltalamacchia in the fifth. His three-run home run capped a five-run fifth that put the Rangers ahead 6-4.