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Seattle Mariners

Mariners lose sixth straight game

Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers' Elvis Andrus collides with Seattle Mariners second baseman Dustin Ackley, as Andrus was safe at second in the third inning. (Associated Press)

SEATTLE – Derek Holland was perfect through five innings and finished with a five-hitter as the Texas Rangers rolled 5-0 over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night for their season-high eighth straight victory.

It was Holland’s fourth career complete game – all shutouts – his third this season and second straight. He went the route in his previous outing July 7 against Oakland, a 6-0 decision.

Holland (8-4), who matched his career high for wins, retired the first 15 batters until walking Franklin Gutierrez on a 3-2 pitch to open the sixth.

He then lost his no-hitter when the next batter, Chone Figgins slashed a single to right.

Mike Napoli, Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz each homered for Texas.

Jason Vargas (6-7) went six innings for Seattle, allowing five runs and a season-high 12 hits.

Holland threw just 54 pitches in the first five innings and the closest the Mariners came to a hit was Ichiro Suzuki’s slow-hit bouncer to second baseman Ian Kinsler in the fourth. Kinsler raced to his left and had time only to slap the ball with his glove to first baseman Mike Napoli to beat Ichiro by a half step.

Miguel Olivo had two of the Mariners’ four hits.

The Mariners have lost six straight to fall 81/2 games behind the A.L. West-leading Rangers.

Hamilton got it started in the first, hitting a 2-2 pitch into the right-field seats for his 12th home run.

Since May 23 when he came off the disabled list, Hamilton has a major league-leading 43 RBIs.

Cruz hit a 1-0 pitch over the right-field wall in the second for his 21st home run.

Right fielder Ichiro appeared to have a chance of catching it, but hit his back on the wall to curtail his jump.

Cruz also came off the DL May 23 and has the second-most RBIs (38) in the majors since then.

Michael Young knocked in his 60th run in the third, a two-out single to right scoring Elvis Andrus from second.

Napoli connected on his 13th home run, hitting a 1-0 pitch into the right-center bleachers in the fifth. Napoli has nine hits in his 23 at-bats (.391) since coming off the DL July 4.

Andrus added an RBI single later in the inning.

Notes

Mariners manager Eric Wedge addressed the players before the game, telling them, “expect a lot of yourselves, expect good things to happen.” He said the primary goal in the second half “is a more consistent ballclub. It’s a process. It takes time.”

Texas AB R H BI BB SO Avg.
Kinsler 2b 5 0 1 0 0 1 .250
Andrus ss 4 1 2 1 1 0 .286
J.Hamilton lf 5 1 1 1 0 0 .299
A.Beltre 3b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .270
Mi.Young dh 4 0 2 1 0 1 .325
N.Cruz rf 3 1 1 1 1 2 .244
Torrealba c 4 0 1 0 0 1 .261
Napoli 1b 4 1 3 1 0 1 .245
Gentry cf 3 1 1 0 0 0 .260
En.Chvez ph-cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 .327
Totals 37 5 12 5 2 6
Seattle AB R H BI BB SO Avg.
I.Suzuki rf 4 0 0 0 0 0 .267
Ryan ss 4 0 0 0 0 1 .248
Ackley 2b 4 0 0 0 0 1 .288
Olivo c 4 0 2 0 0 1 .227
Smoak dh 4 0 1 0 0 0 .229
A.Kennedy 1b 4 0 1 0 0 1 .259
F.Gutierrez cf 2 0 0 0 1 0 .184
Figgins 3b 3 0 1 0 0 2 .185
Halman lf 3 0 0 0 0 2 .290
Totals 32 0 5 0 1 8
Texas 111 002 000—5 12 0
Seattle 000 000 000—0 5 0

LOB—Texas 7, Seattle 6. 2B—Kinsler (22), Mi.Young (26), Torrealba (16). HR—J.Hamilton (12), N.Cruz (21), Napoli (13). RBIs—Andrus (33), J.Hamilton (50), Mi.Young (60), N.Cruz (56), Napoli (34). SB—Napoli (2), Gentry (11). CS—Andrus (4). RLISP—Texas 6, Seattle 3. RMU—J.Hamilton. GIDP—J.Hamilton. DP—Seattle 1.

Texas IP H R ER BB SO ERA
D.Hollnd W, 8-4 9 5 0 0 1 8 4.32
Seattle IP H R ER BB SO ERA
Vargas L, 6-7 6 12 5 5 1 3 3.68
Gray 2 0 0 0 0 2 2.74
Ray 1 0 0 0 1 1 5.47

IBB—N.Cruz. T—2:21. A—25,997 (47,878).