Mariners turn up the heat in Texas

The Mariners came into Texas on a day of rest looking to start off a stretch of 13 games until the All Star break right. The Mariners started the game off with both Endy Chavez and Nick Franklin grounding out. Raul Ibanez took Justin Grimm deep for his 20th homerun of the season, following that Kendrys Morales went deep for the Mariners as well for his 10th homerun of the year took give the Mariners the early 2-0 lead. After the Mariners half inning Joe Saunders took to the mound and had an easy 1-2-3 inning, Grimm had a 10 pitch 1-2-3 inning in the top of the second inning. In the bottom of the second inning Adrian Beltre by singling into center field, Saunders was able to strikeout A.J. Pierzynski and Jurickson Profar and then finally Saunders got David Murphy to ground out to end the inning. 

The Rangers got their first run in the bottom of the third inning as the Rangers started things off by singling three times in a row and on the third single Elvis Andrus drove in Leonys Martin. Saunders was able to get out of the third by getting three huge outs in striking out Nelson Cruz, getting Beltre to ground into a force out and then finally getting Pierzynski to ground out to end the inning.

The Mariners began the top of the fourth inning off right as Kyle Seager doubled for the 23rd time this year, following Justin Smoak's four pitch walk Dustin Ackley doubled down the right field line that allowed Seager to score and put the Mariners lead to 3-1. In the top of the fifth inning Franklin began things off by singling and then Ibanez drew a walk that brought up Morales. Morales only looked at one pitch and drove that one pitch into the right field seats for a 3-run homerun and the Mariners took the 6-1 lead, that with that homerun Grimm was taken out and replaced by Ross Wolf. 

The top of the sixth saw the Mariners score an extra run with two outs. Endy Chavez and Nick Franklin both singled with two outs and Raul Ibanez walked to load up the bases to bring up Morales, he then singled softly to drive in both Chavez and Franklin for his sixth RBI of the game, but on that single Ibanez had a base running error and was thrown out to end the top of the sixth inning. So, the Mariners took the 8-1 lead.

In the top of the seventh inning Zunino drove in the Mariners ninth run after Seager started the inning by getting hit by a pitch and was moved over with two ground balls. Saunders was able to start off the bottom of the seventh inning by striking out Leonys Martin and got Ian Kinsler to ground out, but after that Elvis Andrus and Nelson Cruz singled which made Eric Wedge make the pitching change. Yoervis Medina would come in and try and get out of a jam that Saunders but on a passed ball that Zunino couldn't handle allowed Andrus to score from third, but Medina got Pierzynski to ground out to end the inning. Tom Wilhelmsen was brought in the ninth inning to get some work in, he was able to have a 1-2-3 inning. With this win the Mariners move to 36-47 and began the 13 game stretch off right.