Rangers score 8 times in 11th inning to beat Mariners 11-3
SEATTLE (AP) Shawn Tolleson gave the Texas Rangers a chance in the 11th inning by pitching out of trouble in the 10th. His teammates took full advantage.
Texas scored eight times in the 11th inning, including a two-run homer by Prince Fielder, to pull away from the Seattle Mariners for an 11-3 victory Saturday.
The offensive outburst came after the Mariners wasted a chance to win in the 10th. After Ryan Strausborger misplayed Seth Smith's deep fly to left field for a two-base error leading off the inning, Tolleson (4-2) struck out Mike Zunino and Kyle Seager. Texas then intentionally walked Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano to load the bases, bringing Jesus Montero to the plate.
''Not that I don't trust Shawn against those guys, but at that point I've got an opportunity to choose who was going to take swings at us,'' Rangers manager Jeff Banister said.
Tolleson struck out Montero looking, and the Texas hitters soon put the game out of reach.
''Part of me is competitive so I never like to just put guys on, but in that situation of the game it was definitely the right move,'' Tolleson said.
Texas opened the 11th inning with seven straight hits, the first six off Rob Rasmussen (1-1). Fielder's homer was the eighth hit of the frame and marked the third time this year the Mariners have given up eight runs in an inning.
''You've got a guy who gets out of a jam like that, and been out there for as long as you have, played a full game and it's been a battle, it maybe gives you a little extra jolt of adrenaline, a little jolt of focus,'' said Josh Hamilton, who drove in the first run of the 11th to break the 3-all tie.
The runs kept coming, capped by Fielder's 17th homer.
''Sometimes that happens where the whole team gets hot, puts good swings on the ball and gets hits,'' Fielder said.
Texas has won five of six and snapped a six-game losing streak against the Mariners.
''We should have won the ballgame,'' Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said. ''We just didn't get it done.''
The Rangers scored three times in the fourth on a run-scoring double by Fielder, an RBI single by Hamilton and a bases-loaded walk to Chris Gimenez.
Seattle starter Mike Montgomery got out of the inning but was replaced by David Rollins in the fifth. Montgomery gave up five hits, walked four and struck out four.
The Mariners tied it 3-all in the bottom half. Cruz led off with a double, extending his hitting streak to 18 games - and eight games with an extra-base hit. He scored on Montero's single, and Seattle also got runs on Mark Trumbo's sacrifice fly and Brad Miller's RBI single.
Rangers starter Martin Perez gave up three runs - two earned - and seven hits in six innings.
Mike Napoli started at first base for the Rangers, a day after Texas reacquired him in a trade with the Red Sox. Napoli was 0 for 2 with a walk before being replaced by pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland in the eighth.
Texas lost a run after a replay review in the third. With Gimenez on second and two outs, Delino DeShields hit a grounder up the middle. Cano's throw from behind second base was too late to get DeShields at first. Gimenez headed for home, and plate umpire Dan Iassogna initially ruled Gimenez beat the tag, but the call was overturned on replay.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mariners OF Franklin Gutierrez has the flu, McClendon said. Gutierrez was out of the lineup for the second straight game.
MAKING MOVES
Before the game, the Rangers optioned OF Ryan Rua to Triple-A Round Rock to make roster room for Napoli.
HONORED
Jamie Moyer was inducted as the ninth member of the Mariners Hall of Fame before the game. Moyer's 145 wins with Seattle are the most in team history. ''Today means that forever I am a Seattle Mariner,'' he said.
UP NEXT
Rangers: RHP Colby Lewis (12-4, 4.68 ERA) has won four straight starts and is two wins shy of his career high.
Mariners: RHP Felix Hernandez (13-6, 3.13) goes into Sunday's game tied for the American League lead in wins. In 44 career starts against Texas, Hernandez is 14-21 with a 3.92 ERA.
