Francisco A Mess Again: Mariners 4 Rangers 3

Déjà vu has hit the Rangers and their fans early this season. For the second time in five games, Frank Francisco blew the save, allowing the Mariners to score three runs in the ninth, turning a 3-1 lead into a 4-3 loss.

Francisco left the game after allowing three singles and a walk and recording just one out on a sacrifice bunt no less. Darren O’Day wasn’t able to clean up Francisco’s mess, giving up a single to pinch hitter Ken Griffey Jr. to give the Mariner’s the lead, but the run was charged to Francisco for his second loss. Mark Lowe won the game in relief,

Once again, Francisco’s ninth-inning meltdown overshadowed a more than quality pitching performance from Matt Harrison, who hasn’t started in the big leagues since being diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome last summer. Harrison pitched six innings, and the only run he allowed crossed the plate on a first inning wild pitch. After a walk to Josh Hamilton in the Rangers’ first inning, Seattle pitcher Felix Hernandez also threw a wild one to advance him to second. Hamilton, who is struggling to get going at the plate, walked in the first and eighth innings, tripled in the fourth and struck out in the sixth.

With Joaquin Arias on base to start the fifth with his second of three singles and Taylor Teagarden on after being hit by the pitch, Elvis Andrus laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt to put the runners at second and third. Although called out, Andrus was clearly safe at first. Julio Borbon came up and hit the ball to second baseman Chone Figgins, who bobbled it and allowed two runs to score as a result. Borbon legged out a single in the third for his first hit of the young five-game season.

Nelson Cruz homered for the fourth time in five games in the sixth.

Ichiro Suzuki went 0 for 3 off Harrison, but singled off Dustin Nippert in the seventh and Francisco in the ninth, Shortstop Jack Wilson executed a sacrifice bunt of his own during the Mariners’ ninth.