All of that happened Wednesday afternoon for the Rangers who completed the sweep of the Seattle Mariners to improve to 6-0 on the nearly week-old season. Starter C.J Wilson looked like an ace on the mound, never getting rattled despite not having his usual control. While he walked only two, his pitches were visibly out of the zone at times.
Both teams traded runs in the second inning. In the top half, Wilson surrendered a leadoff single to Jack Cust and then struck out Justin Smoak, who has been on a tear against his former team. Jack Wilson smashed a ball just out of the reach of Elvis Andrus to put runners on first and third. New Mariner Brendan Ryan got the ball in the air for a sacrifice fly and a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom half of the second with one out, the Rangers loaded the bases on singles by David Murphy and Yorvit Torreabla and a Mitch Moreland walk. Ian Kinsler than reached on a bobbled ball and botched double play attempt by the Mariners’ Wilson to knot it at 1. Elvis Andrus took advantage of a wildly errant throw by Wilson on the next play to make it 3-1 with Felix Hernandez on the mound.
In the fifth and sixth innings, the offensively-challenged Mariners would score single runs by stringing together hits – a double and single in the fifth and two doubles in the sixth.
Making the most of his playing time, David Murphy led off the seventh with a single against Hernandez, who match Wilson in going seven innings. Murphy stole second base and traded places with Mitch Moreland after his double. That run would clinch the Rangers victory, although three singles and a double against Chris Ray and Brandon League padded the final score with three insurance runs.
Notes
- Happy Birthday to Adrian Beltre! Great backhand catch in the eighth inning!
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