Mariners Game Recap: M’s Stage Late Rally to Win 9-5 vs. Rangers

The Seattle Mariners rally in the 9th to beat the Texas Rangers in the series finale on Wednesday.

The Seattle Mariners (2-1) scored 5 runs in the 9th inning to win 9-5 against the Texas Rangers (1-2) in the series finale on Wednesday afternoon. Today’s dramatic comeback was good enough to secure the M’s first series win of the season, as they took 2 of 3 from the rival Rangers. Joaquin Benoit (1-0, 0.00 ERA) was credited with the victory for Seattle and Shawn Tolleson (0-1, 45.00 ERA) earned the loss.

Wade Miley was relatively effective in his Mariners debut this afternoon. The veteran southpaw worked remarkably quickly, but his location was not always spot on. Miley was dealing though the first five innings today, but the wheels fell off in the bottom of the 6th. He surrendered four consecutive base hits in the frame and allowed 3 runs to cross to the plate. All told, Miley allowed 5 runs on 7 hits through 6 innings of work while striking out 7 and walking none.

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The Mariners got on the board early today thanks to yet another Robinson Cano home run. Kyle Seager worked a 1-out walk to get on base before Robbie crushed a 79-mph changeup deep to center field for a 2-run homer. Cano has now homered in three consecutive games to open the season. Seattle held a 2-0 lead after the 1st inning.

Leonys Martin spent the first five years of his professional career with the Texas Rangers, and he burnt his former club in the 2nd inning this afternoon. With 2 outs and the bases empty, Martin lofted a fly ball just deep enough to make it over the wall in right field. The dinger was Martin’s first as a Mariner, and gave Seattle a 3-0 lead.

Texas fought back to make it a 3-2 game in the home half of the 2nd inning. Adrian Beltre and Rougned Odor got the frame started with back-to-back singles, and Ryan Rua plated Beltre on an RBI groundout. Justin Ruggiano followed with an RBI double to left-center field to shrink the M’s lead to just 1 run.

The Rangers took the lead in the bottom of the 6th. Shin-Soo Choo smacked the first pitch he saw into right field for a single, and Ian Desmond came through with a single of his own to give Texas a pair of base runners and none out. Prince Fielder took advantage of a hanging breaking ball, depositing it into the bleachers in right field for a 3-run blast. Fielder’s big fly gave the Rangers a 5-3 lead after six innings.

Colby Lewis had some issues in the first couple innings, but settled in nicely after that for Texas. Lewis allowed 3 runs on 6 hits through 6 innings of work with 4 strikeouts and 3 walks. Keone Kela took over for Lewis in the top of the 7th, and the Mariners once again teed off on the shaky Rangers bullpen.

Luis Sardinas led off the 7th with a seeing eye single through the left side of the infield, and Ketel Marte blooped a single into shallow center field. Kyle Seager worked a 2-out free pass to load the basses. Jake Diekman came into the game for Texas, and he walked in a run with Cano at the plate to make it a 5-4 game.

Nick Vincent took over for Miley in the 7th inning. Vincent was credited with the win last night, and the veteran righty struck out a pair of Rangers en route to pitching a perfect inning for Seattle. Joaquin Benoit made his M’s debut in the home half of the 8th inning. Benoit blanked the Rangers in his lone inning of work.

The M’s staged a dramatic comeback in the top of the 9th inning this afternoon. With Seattle trailing 5-4, Nori Aoki was used as a pinch hitter leading off the frame and he singled on a ground ball to center field. Ketel Marte came through with another bloop single, this time down the left field line to put runners on first and second with none out. Leonys Martin sliced a double down the left field line to plate Aoki and tie the game at 5. Kyle Seager made it four consecutive base hits when he singled home Marte and Matin to give Seattle a 7-5 lead. Robinson Cano then put the game out of reach with a 2-run blast in the 9th, his second homer of the day, to extend the M’s lead to 9-5.

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Steve Cishek was brilliant in his first appearance with the Mariners, setting down the Rangers in order to secure the victory for Seattle. This was not a save opportunity, but Cishek looked very comfortable on the hill today.

The player of the game for the Mariners had to be Robinson Cano this afternoon. The superstar second baseman finished 2 for 4 with a pair of home runs, 5 RBI and a walk. Cano is off to a phenomenal start, hitting .308 with 4 home runs and 7 RBI through the first three games of the season. It sure is nice to see Robbie playing so well in the early part of the season. Hopefully he can build on this moving forward.

Next: Mariners Roundtable: Can the M’s Make the Playoffs in 2016?

The Seattle Mariners (2-1) will have a travel day on Thursday as they make their way back to the Emerald City to host the Oakland A’s on Friday night in the home opener. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 pm from the corner of Edgar & Dave. Taijuan Walker will be on the bump for the Mariners making his 2016 debut. The Athletics have not released their starting pitcher yet. As always, fans can watch locally on Root Sports Northwest and MLB.tv subscribers can watch worldwide on connected devices.