Back-to-back homers help Rangers beat Mariners

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Adolis García and Evan Carter hit Texas’ first back-to-back home runs this season and the Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners 5-1 on Wednesday night.

García’s team-high seventh homer in the fourth inning barely cleared the wall in straight-away center field and tipped off the glove of Julio Rodríguez. García stood near first base apparently thinking Rodríguez made the catch until he saw the center fielder walk toward the infield, turn and look over the fence.

“I’ve seen Julio do that deke before where he acts like he didn’t catch it, so I didn’t know what was going on,” said Carter, who watched from the on-deck circle.

Mariners manager Scott Servais said he thought Rodríguez made the catch.

“It’s right at him, right over his head,” Servais said. “Tough to get back to the fence and make a jump. You’re kind of off balance when you get there. Heck of an effort.”

The homer snapped Texas’ 25-innings home scoreless streak. The Rangers were shut out by the Mariners on three hits on Tuesday.

“You’re looking for a shot in the arm,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “Man, those are two big hits.”

Carter, who was dropped from third to fifth in the batting order, hit a triple to drive home García in the seventh in an inning kept alive on an obstruction call at first base against Mariners reliever Austin Voth when Nathaniel Lowe appeared to hit into a 3-6-3 double play.

Texas scored twice in the sixth when Jonah Heim singled into the right field corner and Mitch Haniger committed a two-base error.

Jonathan Hernández (1-0), making his first appearance of the season, retired four of the five batters he faced. Hernández was sidelined with a lat strain until being activated from the 15-day injured list on Tuesday.

The Mariners left nine runners on base and were 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

Josh Rojas scored Seattle’s run in the first inning on a fielder’s choice grounder by Haniger after opening the game with a triple. Rojas led off for the first time this season after J.P. Crawford was a late scratch because of right oblique soreness.

Rangers starter Jon Gray allowed one run on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. Gray, who returned to the rotation after pitching 1 2/3 relief innings last Saturday at Atlanta, struck out seven and walked one.

The Mariners’ Bryce Miller (3-2) gave up the two homers and four hits plus four walks in four-plus innings.

Texas’ Corey Seager left the game following the seventh inning with a left shin contusion after being hit by a pitch. Bochy said he didn’t know if Seager would be available Thursday.

Rangers rookie Wyatt Langford, 1 for 12 before Wednesday, had his first three-hit game.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: Servais said he didn’t know if either Crawford or Cal Raleigh, who sat out following a tooth extraction, will be available Thursday.

Rangers: RHP Max Scherzer (back surgery) pitched 2 1/3 innings for Triple-A Round Rock in his first rehab outing this year. He allowed three runs on five hits, two of them home runs, struck out four and threw 52 pitches. … RHP Austin Pruitt (right knee medial meniscus injury) was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Sunday.

UP NEXT

Mariners RHP Luis Castillo (1-4, 4.40 ERA), who has allowed 18 hits but fanned 19 in 14 2/3 career innings vs. Texas, will start the series finale on Thursday. Rangers LHP Andrew Heaney (0-2, 6.35) has pitched five innings in one of his four previous starts.

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RANGERS 5, MARINERS 1

Runners moved up—Seager. GIDP—García.

DP—Seattle 1 (Rojas, Polanco, France).

Inherited runners-scored—Saucedo 1-0, T.Miller 1-1, Hernández 2-0. HBP—Saucedo (Smith), Voth (Seager).

Umpires—Home, Dan Merzel; First, Jordan Baker; Second, Tripp Gibson; Third, Mark Carlson.

T—2:57. A—31,896 (40,000).