Postgame Notes: Mariners 4, Rangers 3

Texas drops the opener of a three-game series against AL West rival Seattle

TEXAS has lost 3 straight to match longest losing skid since start of May (also 0-3 from 5/21-24)…scored 3 runs in the 6th and 7th innings to take the lead, but surrendered the advantage by allowing 2 runs in the 9th…marked 1st time to lose this season when leading after 8 innings, as club had been 20-0 in such games entering tonight (12-0 at home)…falls to 1-3 against Seattle this season.

DANE DUNNING allowed just 2 runs and did not walk a batter in 7.0 innings, as he was in position for his 1st win since 4/30 until the Mariners took the lead in the 9th…marked his 2nd ultra-quality start (7.0+ IP, 2-or-fewer ER) that featured no walks and 7 strikeouts (also 4/30 vs. ATL)…needed just 15 pitches to get through 2 innings (6 in 1st, 9 in 2nd)…finished outing by retiring final 7 batters in order after Cal Raleigh’s HR in the 5th…career at Globe Life Field (20 G/19 GS): 6-4, 3.24 (37 ER/102.2 IP).

NATHANIEL LOWE belted a go-ahead solo homer on the first pitch of the 7th inning, giving the Rangers a 3-2 lead at the time…has 3 go-ahead HR among 5 total HR…has HR in 2 of 3, 3 of 8, and 4 of last 13 G (beg. 5/18), as his 4 HR over that timeframe are most among Rangers…has hit each of last 3 HR off LHP.

JOSH SMITH went 1-for-3 with a walk in his 2nd straight start in the leadoff spot, as he has now reached base safely in 10 of 17 plate appearances to begin his MLB career…his 10 times on base are tied for most ever by a Ranger through his first 5 career games with the club (also Ian Kinsler in 2006)…exited in the 9th inning with left shoulder soreness and will be further evaluated.

COREY SEAGER was the only Ranger with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a 2B and RBI…plated the Rangers’ first run with an RBI double in the 6th inning…has reached safely in 6 straight games: .346/.414/.769/1.183 (9-26), 3 HR, 2 2B, 5 RBI, 6 R.

SEATTLE scored 2 runs in the 9th (2-run HR by Suárez) to steal a come-from-behind victory in the opener of this 3-game series…entered the 9th trailing, 2-3, as tonight was club’s 3rd win this season when trailing after the 8th…has gone 10-8 in one-run games this season…tonight’s win extended 4-game win streak against the Rangers at Globe Life Field dating back to 8/17/2021, and team has won 8 of last 9 G vs. TEX overall (beg. 8/11/21).

EUGENIO SUÁREZ lifted a go-ahead 2-run home run off Joe Barlow with one out in the 9th inning to give the Mariners a 4-3 lead…interestingly, it was the 1st go-ahead HR by a Mariners batter in the 9th-or-later since a 2-run HR by Ty France in the 11th inning of a 9-8 win here at Globe Life Field on 8/19/21 at TEX (also off Barlow)…the game-winning blast was Suárez’s team-leading 10th HR of the season, and snapped an 8-game homer drought (beg. 5/24) for the 30-year-old slugger…has hits in 6 straight and 17 of his last 22 G (beg. 5/10) at .250 (21-84) with 4 HR and 11 RBI.

LOGAN GILBERT took no decision despite opening his outing with 5.0 scoreless innings, as he permitted just 4 of the first 19 batters he faced to reach base…was undone by a 2-run 6th inning in which he surrendered RBI doubles to Corey Seager and Kole Calhoun…was lifted in favor of Roenis Elías to begin the 7th, snapping Gilbert’s run of consecutive starts with 7.0+ IP at 3, the longest such streak of his career…has still posted quality starts in 4 straight and 5 of his 11 turns through the rotation this season…tonight was his 5th career start against the Rangers: 2-0, 2.70 ERA (9 ER/30.0 IP), 28 SO/4 BB.

CAL RALEIGH doubled in the 3rd inn. and cranked a solo home run in the 5th, his 2nd multi-hit game of the season (also 2 H on 5/23 vs. OAK)…recorded season high and game-high 110.5 mph exit velocity on the double according to Statcast…Raleigh has hits in 5 of 7 and 6 of his last 10 G.

SHORTS: Joe Barlow had converted his last 17 save chances (beg. 9/8/21) prior to blown save tonight, which finishes as longest save streak for Texas since Keone Kela converted 25 straight chances (5/21/17-7/13/18)…Texas starting leadoff batters over last 8 G: .281 (9-32), HR, 2 2B, 7 RBI, 7 R, 6 BB, 4 SO, reaching base multiple times in 7 of last 8 G…Seattle’s 1-3 hitters (Winker/France/Rodríguez) finished 0-for-11 w/ 6 K’s and a HBP…Eugenio Suárez’s throwing error in the 6th inning was the first error by a Mariners infielder since 5/17 at TOR (15 straight errorless games).