Rangers 7, Mariners 3: Skid hits four games as attack remains stalled

If you’re counting the runs scored by the Mariners in their four home games, you now need to use both hands. The total up to seven after Monday’s 7-3 loss to the Texas Rangers at Safeco Field.

The more important count is four straight losses and that, at 2-5, the Mariners occupy last place in the American League West Division. With the exception of winless Minnesota, they also possess the league’s worst record.

So, no, not a good first week.

The bullpen absorbed much of the blame in the three weekend losses to Oakland — and Mike Montgomery let Monday’s game get away after replacing starter Hisashi Iwakuma, who delivered a quality start.

Those four runs proved decisive when Nelson Cruz hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning on a 402-drive to center.

But the growing concern, even this early, is the lack of production from a lineup that general manager Jerry Dipoto sought to lengthen and strengthen in a series of off-season moves.

Texas starter Colby Lewis (1-0) gave up one run in the first inning but retired 13 in a row before Leonys Martin opened the sixth inning on a grounder to first. Lewis didn’t cover first on the play.

Lewis retired the net two batters before handing a 3-1 lead to the bullpen. The Mariners also failed to produce a momentum-shifting hit after loading the bases in the seventh inning.

By then, the Rangers were playing add-on against Montgomery.

It started well.

Cruz provided the Mariners with something they failed to get all weekend: a base-hit with a runner in scoring position. His two-out double past third scored Seager from second base.

The Rangers pulled even in the second inning on a walk, a wild pitch and a two-out bloop single from Elvis Andrus.

Texas took a 2-1 lead in the third inning after right fielder Seth Smith failed to make a clean pick-up on what appeared to be a one-out single by Adrian Beltre. It was scored a double, which moved Nomar Mazara to third.

Prince Fielder followed with a sacrifice fly.

The Rangers added another run in the fourth on Rougned Odor’s two-out RBI double, a legitimate double, after a pair of ground-ball singles earlier in the inning.

Fielder’s two-out RBI single in the seventh against reliever Mike Montgomery pushed the margin to 4-1. The Rangers put the game away with a three-run eighth against Montgomery,

PLAY OF THE GAME: Second baseman Robinson Cano had a chance to keep the deficit at 4-1 in the eighth when Rougned Odor hit a hard grounder to the right side with one out and the bases loaded.

Instead, the ball kicked off Cano’s glove for what was scored a two-run single. The Rangers added another run in the inning on Mazara’s sacrifice fly.

PLUS: Cruz is showing some punch. His two-out RBI single in the first inning ended an 0 for 16 skid by the Mariners with runners in scoring position. Cruz also hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning.

MINUS: Nori Aoki’s slide carried him past second base in the first inning, which resulted in a caught stealing. That left the Mariners at 0 for 4 stealing on the season. … Right fielder Seth Smith somehow avoided an error in the official scoring when he failed to make a clean pick-up on what appeared to be a single in the third inning, but the misplay led to a Texas run. … Some very liberal scoring by Eric Radovich in awarding hits on plays major-leaguers should make.

STAT PACK: Hisashi Iwakuma had won six straight decisions against the Rangers before Monday’s loss.

SHORT HOPS: Texas catcher Brett Nicholas made his big-league debut by throwing on Nori Aoki on a stolen-base attempt in the first inning. Nicholas also got his first big-league hit with a leadoff double in the seventh inning against Mike Montgomery. …The attendance dipped to 13,468 after three crowds of 30,000-plus for the weekend games against Oakland.

Bob Dutton: @TNT_Mariners

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 7:42 AM with the headline "Rangers 7, Mariners 3: Skid hits four games as attack remains stalled."