SEATTLE — Neither a makeshift starting rotation nor a three-run deficit could prevent the Mariners from concluding their home stand in surprising triumph.
Stellar relief pitching and Kyle Seager’s eighth-inning homer enabled Seattle to rally for a 4-3 win over the Texas Rangers in American League baseball action Sunday at Safeco Field.
Early season pitching ace James Paxson (forearm strain) joined Felix Hernandez on the disabled list Friday, leaving the M’s with the unappetizing prospect of using spot starters Chase de Jong and Dillon Overton in the final two games of the Texas series.
Although he didn’t receive credit for the win, de Jong pitched very well in Saturday’s 8-2 victory.
In contrast, Overton struggled through 3 1/3 innings Sunday. He wasn’t helped by shaky defense, including a dropped third strike by catcher Carlos Ruiz that helped produce an unearned run in the second.
Relievers Christian Bergman, Nick Vincent, Marc Rzepcynski and Edwin Diaz, however, combined to allow only two hits and one run the rest of the way. The left-handed Rzepcynski, who struck out the only batter he faced, picked up the victory.
Bergman, who gave up just one hit in 3 2/3 innings in his first appearance after being promoted from Class AAA Tacoma, was particularly vital in keeping the M’s within striking distance.
“Those two guys who pitched for us early in the game hung in there and kept us in the game,” manager Scott Servais said. “The offense is going to be the key with our pitching staff banged up. Fortunately, our bullpen has stepped up.”
On Sunday, however, Seattle’s offense was all but somnambulant against Ranger starter Andrew Cashner through six innings. The M’s mustered a baserunner in each of those innings, but none advanced beyond first base.
The Mariners, however, waited out Cashner and reliever Jose LeClerc for four walks that forced in a run in the seventh.
Danny Valencia, scratched from the starting lineup with a tight hamstring, then greeted Alex Claudio, the third Ranger pitcher, with a broken-bat, pinch-hit single that tied it at 3-3.
Seager, whose early season progress has been retarded by a hip injury, delivered the decisive blow with a solo homer (only his second of the season) to right-center off Sam Dyson in the eighth.
“We put pressure on them and finally we broke through,” Seager said.
With his nemesis, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Kole Calhoun, safely out of town, Seattle closer Diaz breezed through the ninth. He struck out the first two batters and handled Delino DeShields’ comebacker for the final out.
Mariner leadoff batter Jean Segura continued his hot hitting with two hits. Jonathan Lucroy had a pair of doubles for Texas.
The Mariners will travel to Philadelphia and Toronto before beginning a new home stand May 15 against Oakland.
