Justin Dunn, late homers lead Mariners to 3-2 win over Rangers
May 29, 2021, 10:40 PM | Updated: 11:29 pm
SEATTLE (AP) — J.P. Crawford and Mitch Haniger homered late, and the Seattle Mariners sent the Texas Rangers to their 11th straight road loss with a 3-2 victory Saturday night.
Mariners 3, Rangers 2: Box score
The Rangers managed four hits in their fifth consecutive defeat overall. They matched the second-longest road skid in team history, an 11-game stretch in April and May 1982. Texas dropped 12 in a row away from home in May and June 2003.
“I think overall a lot of guys are struggling now on offense,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. “It’s unfortunate. I think it gets contagious.”
Crawford hit a solo homer in the seventh inning to break a 1-all tie and Haniger added his 14th of the season in the eighth.
Here he goes again. pic.twitter.com/Hsa9aZvq2F
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) May 30, 2021
The long balls gave the Mariners their season-high third straight victory and their major league-leading 12th one-run win. Seattle is 12-5 in one-run games, including Friday’s 3-2 victory over Texas.
“That’s cool,” Crawford said. “I didn’t know that.”
Of his homer, he said: “I was just trying to get a little spark for my team in that inning.”
No doubt about it, @jp_crawford! 💥 pic.twitter.com/1HGcDDvRAr
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) May 30, 2021
José Godoy singled home Kyle Lewis in the second for Seattle’s first run.
Mariners starter Justin Dunn struck out eight and pitched one-hit ball through 5 2/3 innings to stretch his AL-leading streak of games with three or fewer runs allowed to 15. But he was pulled after allowing his second hit, again failing to make it through the sixth.
Daniel Zamora (1-0) earned his first win since 2018 in his first appearance since being claimed off waivers from the New York Mets on May 22.
“I haven’t pitched a big league game since 2019,” Zamora said after getting four outs. “There was a lot of adrenaline going through me. I think that was part of it all, too.”
He combined with Paul Sewald and Rafael Montero to allow two hits in 3 1/3 innings. Montero earned his seventh save after giving up Nick Solak’s second sacrifice fly of the game in the ninth.
Dunn hit Isaiah Kiner-Falefa with a pitch leading off the fourth, then issued back-to-back walks with one out before Solak’s sacrifice fly tied it at 1.
Mike Foltynewicz (1-5) scattered six hits over seven innings, striking out two, but was done in by Crawford’s second homer of the season.
Woodward said Foltynewicz pitched well enough to win in his second straight seven-inning appearance, but the team wasn’t “scratching and clawing” for runs.
“There’s a few innings where we didn’t put any pressure on them,” the manager said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mariners: RHP Will Vest returned to the team after his COVID-19-related stay on the injured list. Manager Scott Servais said Vest was scheduled to throw a bullpen Saturday to evaluate his fitness after quarantining in San Diego since May 21. Fellow relievers Kendall Graveman and Drew Steckenrider remain in San Diego under quarantine.
The Mariners put RHP Erik Swanson on the 10-day injured list with a right groin strain and transferred RHP Casey Sadler (right shoulder impingement) to the 60-day IL.
UP NEXT
Rangers: LHP Hyeon-jong Yang (0-2, 5.47 ERA) tries to stop a two-game skid in his fourth major league appearance.
Mariners: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (2-3, 4.02) looks for his second straight win after giving up a run on four hits in his last start.
Jake & Stacy: Is Crawford forcing the M’s to reconsider plans at SS?
