Out of Right Field: Recap, takeaways from the Mariners’ 14-2 win over the Texas Rangers

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Marco Gonzales throws against the Texas Rangers in a baseball game Thursday, April 25, 2019, in Seattle. (Elaine Thompson / AP)
By Gene Warnick The Spokesman-Review

Ryon Healy hit two doubles and drove in three runs and Marco Gonzales pitched seven scoreless innings as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Texas Rangers 14-2 Thursday night.

The Mariners snapped a three-game losing streak and sent the Rangers to their fourth consecutive defeat.

Gonzales (5-0) allowed six hits and struck out nine in becoming the first pitcher in the majors this season to reach five victories.

Nice work by @MarcoGonzales_ @Mariners with a big lead on @ROOTSPORTS_NW Join us for the finish and postgame show with @RealBradAdam #WHEREiROOT pic.twitter.com/toTlumVGqh

— ROOT SPORTS™ | NW (@ROOTSPORTS_NW) April 26, 2019

Healy hit a three-run double in a five-run first inning as the Mariners spoiled left-hander Taylor Hearn’s major-league debut.

Hearn (0-1) faced eight batters in the first inning and only recorded one out before being pulled after 39 pitches.

The 24-year-old allowed five runs (four earned) on three hits and four walks.

Tim Beckham hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning to put the M’s in double digits.

Of note

Gonzales became the first Mariner in franchise history to win five games before May 1. The previous record was shared by Scott Bankhead (4-1 in 1987), Jeff Fassero (4-0 in 1997), Felix Hernandez (4-0 in 2015 and 4-0 in 2009), Rick Honeycutt (4-0 in 1980), Randy Johnson (4-0 in 1996), Jamie Moyer (4-0 in 2005 and 4-0 in 2001), Michael Pineda (4-1 in 2011) and Aaron Sele (4-0 in 2001).

By the numbers

0: Number of earned runs allowed by Gonzales in three career starts against the Rangers at Safeco Field/T-Mobile Park. That covers 18 2/3 innings.

Our take from right field

You’d expect your No. 1 pitcher to also be your stopper, and Gonzales proved he’s capable of that as the M’s also snapped a six-game home losing streak. The M’s took a patient approach against a rookie making his first major-league start and it paid off with a five-run first inning. With Gonzales on the mound, it seemed the game was already over at that point.

Up next

The four-game series continues at 7:10 p.m. Friday at T-Mobile Park, with LHP Yusei Kikuchi (1-1, 4.68) scheduled to take on Rangers RHP Shelby Miller (1-1, 7.63). Kikuchi is only supposed to go an inning or two before handing the ball to LHP Justus Sheffield, the team’s top pitching prospect, who will be making his Mariners debut.

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