Wed May 14 18:15:09 2008

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Cairo, M's outlast Rangers

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Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - Miguel Cairo drove in the game-winning run in the 12th inning as the Seattle Mariners downed the Texas Rangers, 4-3, to avoid a three-game sweep at Rangers Ballpark.

Jeff Clement went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored while Jose Lopez also drove in a run and scored once for the Mariners, who had lost seven of their last eight coming into the game.

Carlos Silva started on the mound, but left in the seventh inning with a back injury. He lasted 6 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on five hits with four strikeouts. J.J. Putz (1-1) pitched two scoreless innings to get the win.

David Murphy went 4-for-5 with an RBI while Michael Young had two hits, an RBI and a run scored for the Rangers, who had won seven of eight coming into the contest.

Scott Feldman got the start and gave up three runs -- one earned -- on six hits in seven innings of work.

Franklyn German (1-2) started on the mound for Texas in the 12th. Wladimir Balentien led off with a single and moved to second on a sac bunt from Yuniesky Betancourt. Ichiro Suzuki then flied out to move Balentien to third and Cairo followed with a single up the middle to plate Balentien for a 4-3 lead.

Jarrod Washburn worked around a two-out walk in the bottom of the 12th to pick up his first career save.

The Rangers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Frank Catalanotto led off with a double and came home when Young followed with a double. After Josh Hamilton grounded out, Murphy belted a double to right to bring home Young.

The Mariners got on the board in the fourth inning. With two outs, Raul Ibanez roped a single to right and then crossed the plate on a double from Lopez to make it a 2-1 game.

Seattle then grabbed the lead in the seventh with a pair of runs. Lopez reached first to start the inning thanks to Ramon Vazquez, who fielded the ball cleanly but threw it away. Clement then followed with a triple to center that scored Lopez. The next two batters recorded outs without being able to bring home Clement, but Betancourt gave his team a 3-2 lead on a double to left.

Texas threatened in the bottom of the seventh as the team loaded the bases with one out, but Arthur Rhodes got pinch-hitter Marlon Byrd to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.

However, the Rangers did tie the game in the eighth. Back-to-back one-out singles from Gerald Laird and Young put runners at the corners and, after Ryan Rowland-Smith took the mound, Hamilton lofted a sac fly to center that scored Laird to make it a 3-3 contest.

Game Notes

Texas announced on Wednesday that third baseman Hank Blalock will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco on Thursday. Blalock has been on the disabled list since April 26 because of a torn left hamstring...Byrd was activated off the 15-day disabled list before the game by Texas. He was suffering from inflammation in his left knee and the team optioned infielder Travis Metcalf to Triple-A Oklahoma to make room on the roster...Texas had won five straight against Seattle...Texas welcomes Houston for a three-game set starting on Friday...Seattle hosts San Diego for three games beginning on Friday...Attendance was 22,934.