ARLINGTON, Texas — With his right foot on the top step of the visitor’s dugout as he leaned on that bent knee, Scott Servais beamed as he watched his offense turn the top of the sixth inning of the Mariners’ 10-4 drubbing of the Rangers into an interminable grind.
His hitters had already rolled up five runs in the first five innings, but now they were turning the game into a 3 1/2- hour rout with a parade of hitters content on working every count to either a walk or hard contact.
After 34 minutes and 50 pitches from three different relievers, the Mariners had 10 men come to the plate, notching four hits and drawing three walks and scoring three runs, turning a four-run lead into eight runs and making the outcome obvious.
This was the offense that he and general manager Jerry Dipoto hoped/expected to see on most nights — maybe not the gaudy run production, but the slew of grinding at-bats and parade of base runners.
For the last three games in Arlington — all wins — it’s been this way, the Mariners have pummeled Texas pitchers, showing patience, power and promise, while scoring 28 runs on 37 hits.
Obviously, that sort of production can’t be replicated every night. And it almost certainly won’t continue considering they will be facing a slightly higher level of pitching and a better team this weekend in Houston.
The division-leading Astros, intent on clinching the American League West title, will roll out right-hander Charlie Morton on Friday, followed by lefty Dallas Keuchel on Saturday and right-hander Justin Verlander, who will be making his Minute Maid Park debut, on Sunday. Keuchel and Verlander shut down Seattle a week ago at Safeco Field.
It’s been a struggle for the Mariners against the Astros this season. They are just 5-11 in the season series, though the last time they played in Houston, they did win 2 of 3 games. They may need to replicate that again this weekend with only 15 games remaining the season and a series with the Indians, who just won their 22nd game in a row, looming to open the homestand. The Mariners are already reliant on other teams for help and so far it’s yielded minimal results.
Seattle has won three straight games and failed to make up significant ground in the race for the second wild card.
The Mariners started their run scoring in the second inning. Kyle Seager continued his traditional torture of Rangers pitchers in their home park. Following Nelson Cruz’s stinging double into the left-field corner to start the second inning, Seager ambushed a first-pitch fastball from Rangers’ starter Andrew Cashner, driving it into the right field stands for a 2-0 lead.
Seager’s 25th homer was his sixth long ball in the last 10 games.
The Mariners scored three more in the fifth, knocking Cashner from the game. Yonder Alonso plated all three runs with a bases-loaded double.
After the seemingly eternal top of the sixth, Seattle tacked on another run in the seventh on Cruz’s fourth hit of the night — a solo homer to right field. It gave him 33 homers and added to his AL-leading RBI total now at 109.
Making his first start since Aug. 2, Felix Hernandez looked sharp considering he didn’t have any rehab outings and faced batters just once in a simulated game session. On a limit of around 50 pitches, Hernandez threw 54 pitches (39 strikes) in 3 2/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits with no walks and three strikeouts. After giving up a two-out double to Joey Gallo in the fourth inning, Hernandez was lifted for right-hander Ryan Garton, who promptly retired Robinson Chirinos on a fly out to center to end the frame.
Hernandez cruised through the first inning with relative ease, but gave up his only run in the second inning. With one out, he allowed a single to Gallo and Chirinos followed with a double down the left-field line that Seager probably should’ve gloved. It set up a sacrifice fly for Rougned Odor. Hernandez didn’t let the damage get worse, striking out Mike Napoli looking to end the inning.
Andrew Albers picked up the win in relief to improve to 5-1. Scheduled to “piggy back” off his Hernandez’s limited start, pitching five innings and allowing three runs on three hits with one walk and five strikeouts.
