Rookies Kelenic and Gilbert lead Mariners past Rangers 9-5

Jul 30, 2021, 8:59 PM | Updated: 9:58 pm

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Jarred Kelenic #10 of the Seattle Mariners speaks with Ty France #23 before the ninth inning of a baseball game at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Starting pitcher Logan Gilbert #36 of the Seattle Mariners pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Starting pitcher Kolby Allard #39 and catcher Jonah Heim #28 of the Texas Rangers speak during the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Shortstop J.P. Crawford #3 of the Seattle Mariners walks away after striking out during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: The Seattle Mariners walk into the dugout before the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Shortstop J.P. Crawford #3 of the Seattle Mariners plays with a piece of his glove during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Starting pitcher Kolby Allard #39 of the Texas Rangers pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Abraham Toro #13 of the Seattle Mariners scores and is congratulated by J.P. Crawford #3 during the second inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Isiah Kiner-Falefa #9 of the Texas Rangers throws wildly home resulting in an error and two runs scored during the second inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Jarred Kelenic #10 of the Seattle Mariners scores on an error by Isiah Kiner-Falefa #9 of the Texas Rangers on a throw that went by catcher Jonah Heim #28 during the second inning of a baseball game at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Mitch Haniger #17 of the Seattle Mariners catches a pop out from Andy Ibanez #77 of the Texas Rangers during the fourth inning of a baseball game at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Curtis Terry #83 of the Texas Rangers runs on a double hit by Jason Martin #50 during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Logan Gilbert #36 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after Jonah Heim #28 of the Texas Rangers hit a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Adolis Garcia #53 of the Texas Rangers runs the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Ty France #23 of the Seattle Mariners scores on a single by Kyle Seager #15 during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa #9 of the Texas Rangers tries to make a play after a force out on Abraham Toro #13 of the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning of a baseball game at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Second baseman Abraham Toro #13 of the Seattle Mariners controls the ball before throwing out David Dahl #21 of the Texas Rangers at first base during the ninth inning of a baseball game at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Second baseman Abraham Toro #13 of the Seattle Mariners throws out David Dahl #21 of the Texas Rangers at first base during the ninth inning of a baseball game at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Diego Castillo #63 of the Seattle Mariners pitches during the ninth inning of a baseball game at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

ARLINGTON, TX - JULY 30: Second baseman Abraham Toro #13 of the Seattle Mariners and shortstop J.P. Crawford #3 celebrate after beating the Texas Rangers following a baseball game at Globe Life Field on July 30, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Andy Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Logan Gilbert worked into the sixth inning to win his fifth decision in a row, fellow rookie Jarred Kelenic hit a three-run homer, and the Seattle Mariners beat the rebuilding Texas Rangers 9-5 on Friday night.

Mariners 9, Rangers 5: Box score

Gilbert (5-2), Seattle’s first-round draft pick in 2018, allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings on six hits. He struck out six and walked one before Rangers rookies Adolis Garcia and Jonah Heim hit solo homers in the sixth to chase him. Seattle has won the last 11 games started by Gilbert.

“It wasn’t one of my best outings by any means,” Gilbert said. “But when the offense shows up like that, the defense making good plays behind me, everything came together.”

New Seattle closer Diego Castillo, acquired Thursday from Tampa Bay, pitched a perfect ninth inning in a non-save situation in his Mariners debut.

The Mariners have won five of their last seven games. They began their 10-game road trip 2½ games behind Oakland for the American League’s second wild-card spot.

Garcia hit his 23rd homer for the Rangers, who before Friday’s deadline traded fellow All-Star slugger Joey Gallo. Texas, on pace for a 100-loss season, also traded All-Star pitcher Kyle Gibson and closer Ian Kennedy.

The last-place Rangers have lost 14 of 15 games. They dropped to a season-worst 31 games under .500.

Kelenic pulled a 2-1 cutter deep to right field in the third inning off Kolby Allard (2-9), after Luis Torrens doubled to the left-center gap and Abraham Toro beat out an infield hit.

CRUSHED. pic.twitter.com/3HcRr5EF2F

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 31, 2021

It was the first homer for the highly touted 22-year-old Kelenic since getting recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on July 16. He was the centerpiece in the December 2018 trade that sent Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz from Seattle to the New York Mets.

Kelenic added his career-high fourth RBI with a fielder’s choice in the ninth.

Allard, who came to Texas from Atlanta at the trade deadline two years ago, allowed seven runs (six earned) in three innings. He is 1-9 since entering the starting rotation on May 27, and has lost his last seven starts.

“The one thing that gets him in trouble consistently is not being able to stop the big inning,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. “It’s one of those things where he’s got to figure it out, whether that’s mental or physical.”

The Mariners went ahead 4-0 in the second inning on two hits, two walks and a throw home by shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa that went wide to the backstop.

Jason Martin, recalled Wednesday to fill Gallo’s roster spot, homered in the seventh.

MOVING ON

Mariners RHP Hector Santiago began serving his 80-game suspension for using a performance enhancing drug.

“Certainly, we relied on Hector to play a number of roles,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “We’re going to have to lean on our starting pitching to go deeper because we really don’t have a long man. Hector did a nice job when he was with us, but he’s no longer with us, so we’ll adjust.”

MOVING DAY

Mariners: Recalled RHP Wyatt Mills from Tacoma. … Outrighted RHP Vinny Nittoli to Tacoma. … OF Jake Hager was claimed off waivers by Arizona.

Rangers: Selected the contracts of RHPs Drew Anderson and Jharel Cotton from Triple-A Round Rock. Cotton pitched two innings. … Reinstated RHP Josh Sborz from the paternity list, and he pitched two-thirds of an inning. … Outrighted C John Hicks to Round Rock.

SHORT HOPS

Neither Abraham Toro nor Kyle Seager homered for Seattle. Toro, who had three hits, had homered in his previous four games — two for the Mariners after going deep in each of his last two games the Houston Astros before getting traded Wednesday. Seager had homered in three straight. … Garcia, now Texas’ home-run leader with Gallo gone, is seven short of the club rookie record. … It was Cotton’s first relief appearance in the majors after starting 29 games for Oakland from 2016-17.

Off to a fast start 👏 pic.twitter.com/XOMJ7DpfMI

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 31, 2021

UP NEXT

Mariners: LHP Tyler Anderson (5-8, 4.38 ERA) will make his Mariners debut after being acquired Wednesday from Pittsburgh. Anderson led the last-place Pirates in wins and ERA.

Rangers: After Gibson’s departure, LHP Taylor Heard (2-3, 4.41) will make his third start of the season and 32nd appearance. He was on a limited pitch count in his previous spot starts.

Mariners Trade Deadline Breakdown: A look at each player added