Mariners, one strike away from win, fall to Texas on two homers

SEATTLE – Don’t buy into the cliche. No matter what the standings say, not all losses are equal. And for the Mariners, Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Texas in 11 innings is the kind that stings deeper than most.

The Mariners were within one strike of a 1-0 victory in the ninth inning when closer Steve Cishek served up a no-doubt homer to Prince Fielder on a full-count pitch.

And then, after the Mariners left the bases loaded in the 10th, Mike Montgomery (2-1) served up a first-pitch homer in the 11th to Rougned Odor.

Say this much: Neither homer was a cheapie. These were the type you didn’t need to see. Sound alone was enough.

The Mariners had a chance to erase Cishek’s mistake after Nelson Cruz then started the Mariners’ 10th with a leadoff single against Texas relief Jake Diekman.

After Kyle Seager flied out, the Mariners went to the bench for Dae-Ho Lee. The Rangers countered by replacing Diekman with Matt Bush, but Lee looped a single into right field that moved Cruz to second.

Bush retired Leonys Martin on a fly to center but loaded the bases by walking Steve Clevenger. The Mariners left them loaded when Ketel Marte flied out to deep right.

Odor’s homer turned Bush (2-0) into the winning pitcher when Sam Dyson closed out the victory. Even then, the Mariners had a shot after Dyson started the inning by hitting Nori Aoki on the knee.

Shawn O’Malley’s attempted sacrifice resulted in an out at second. The Mariners challenged the call, but a replay review confirmed the call.

Nelson Cruz’s two-out single put runners at first and second, but Dyson secured his ninth save by retiring Kyle Seager.

The loss dropped the Mariners to four games behind first-place Texas in the American League West Division.

Fielder’s homer in the ninth came on a 3-2 pitch from Cishek, who dropped to a crouch and raised his hands to his head in frustration as Fielder circled the bases.

That homer also enabled Texas starter Colby Lewis to escape with a no-decision after holding the Mariners to one run and three hits in eight innings.

The one run was an Adam Lind homer in the fifth inning.

Cishek’s mistake also snatched a victory away from James Paxton, who worked 6 1/3 scoreless innings. Edwin Diaz got the final two outs in the seventh inning before Joaquin Benoit worked a one-two-three eighth.

And Cishek seemed in control when he retired the first two Rangers in the ninth inning before Fielder unloaded his fifth homer of the season.

PLAY OF THE GAME: Mariners starter James Paxton escaped a two-on, no-out jam in the fourth inning after catching a break when a grounder by Rougned Odor struck Nomar Mazara, who was running from first to second.

The ball was headed for right field and, presumably, an RBI single.

Instead, by rule, Mazara was out and Odor was credit with a single. The putout was given to first baseman Adam Lind, who was nowhere near the ball – just nearer than any other defensive player.

The rule forces all other runners to return to the base they occupied at the time of the pitch, which meant Ian Desmond had to return to second from third.