Gilbert strong but Mariners’ bats quiet again in 2-1 loss to Rangers

SEATTLE (AP) — Marcus Semien has seen it plenty of times: When a starting pitcher loses a no-hitter late in the game, his shutout often slips away, too.

“It’s kind of a deflating blow once you give up a hit,” he said.

Texas Rangers 2, Seattle Mariners 1: Box score

Semien ended Logan Gilbert’s bid for a perfect game with a leadoff single in a two-run seventh inning, and Jon Gray pitched the Texas Rangers to a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Monday night.

Semien scored the tying run on Josh Jung’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly, and Jonah Heim chased Gilbert (1-2) with a two-out RBI single.

Ty France homered in the first off Gray (2-1), who gave up four hits over seven innings. He struck out eight and walked none as Texas won its third straight.

“You’re going to run into a well-pitched game and I’ve said this: If that happens, you need your guy to go out there and pitch well,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said.

Seattle (17-18) had won six of seven and was trying to move over .500 for the first time since winning on opening day.

One night after the Rangers put up 16 runs against the Los Angeles Angels on the road, Gilbert mowed down their high-scoring lineup for six innings. He struck out seven consecutive batters from the second through the fourth, matching a franchise record held by Mark Langston (1984) and teammate Luis Castillo (2022).

“That kind of pitching performance, we certainly expect to win the ballgame — and can’t ask for much more than what Logan Gilbert did tonight,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said.

Gilbert needed only 72 pitches to retire his first 18 hitters, fanning nine. But he immediately ran into trouble in the seventh.

Semien singled sharply past diving shortstop Jose Caballero. Robbie Grossman struck out, but Nathaniel Lowe singled and Adolis Garcia walked to load the bases.

Jung hit a sacrifice fly, and Heim’s soft single scored Lowe to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead.

This team fights. #StraightUpTX pic.twitter.com/qifdGwXEjj

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) May 9, 2023

“Like I said, third time through the lineup, they don’t have as good of stuff and we’ve seen them twice,” Semien said.

Gilbert struck out 10 in 6 2/3 innings.

Texas relievers Brock Burke and Jonathan Hernández kept the Mariners hitless before Will Smith struck out the side in the ninth for his fifth save.

France’s opposite-field drive to right on a first-pitch fastball was his second home run of the season and first since opening day.

he didn't waste any tyme pic.twitter.com/iwd7vo9RC0

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) May 9, 2023

Seattle missed an opportunity to score in the fifth when Gray got Julio Rodríguez to ground into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Texas Rangers: SS Corey Seager will begin a minor league rehab assignment Thursday. … OF Travis Jankowski will miss a few days after leaving Sunday’s game with hamstring tightness, and the team is expected to make a roster move Tuesday.

Seattle Mariners: SS J.P. Crawford was scratched from the lineup. He took a foul ball off his left knee Sunday. … 2B Kolten Wong returned after missing Sunday’s game with a wrist injury.

UP NEXT

Texas Rangers: LHP Andrew Heaney (2-2, 5.52 ERA) takes the mound after allowing six runs and three homers against Arizona.

Seattle Mariners: RHP George Kirby (3-2, 3.11 ERA) makes his seventh start of the year after giving up three runs in seven innings versus Oakland.

Close look: 3 players helping Seattle Mariners get into a groove