Tue May 13 00:58:43 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Vazquez's HR in 10th wins game for Rangers after blown lead

---

Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - Ramon Vazquez's solo home run in the 10th inning lifted the Texas Rangers to a 13-12 win over the Seattle Mariners in the opener of a three-game set.

The Rangers blew a four-run lead in the ninth, but came back to post their sixth win in seven contests.

With one out in the 10th, Vazquez jumped on Brandon Morrow's 1-0 fastball for his second home run of the season, a shot to right field.

"What a game," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "We didn't die. We kept fighting."

Vicente Padilla, who had allowed just one earned run over his last three starts, gave up six runs -- three earned -- on seven hits in five-plus innings for Texas. C.J. Wilson allowed four runs on four hits in the ninth. Doug Mathis (1-0), brought up from Triple-A Oklahoma to replace starter Kevin Millwood who was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Sunday, tossed a scoreless inning to pick up the win in his major league debut.

Josh Hamilton went 2-for-4 with four RBI for the Rangers, and Ian Kinsler was 3-for-5 and scored twice. Michael Young knocked in a pair runs. Gerald Laird and Chris Shelton each had two hits, with Laird scoring three times.

Erik Bedard, who returned to Arlington for the first time since his two-hit, 15-strikeout performance on July 7, 2007 as a member of the Baltimore Orioles, was rocked for six runs on seven hits with four walks in two-plus innings. Morrow (0-1) threw the final 1 1/3 innings.

Kenji Johjima's three-run homer in the ninth forced extra innings for the Mariners, who have dropped 11 of their last 13 games. Raul Ibanez and Wladimir Balentien also homered, while Jose Lopez finished 3-for-5 and scored two runs.

It was the first game between the teams since a benches-clearing fracas on Thursday in Seattle. Mariners first baseman Richie Sexson served the third game of his five-game suspension Monday stemming from the incident in which he pegged Texas pitcher Kason Gabbard with his helmet. Seattle's Felix Hernandez and Gabbard, participants in the game last Thursday, are scheduled to start on Tuesday.

Down 12-8 in the ninth, Adrian Beltre lined a one-out single to center field and came around to score on a double by Ibanez. Lopez then singled and, after Jeff Clement was called out on strikes, Johjima crushed Wilson's 0-2 fastball over the wall in left field to tie the game.

"I was just happy to contribute and keep us in the game," Johjima said.

The Mariners, who were held to five runs in last week's four-game series against the Rangers at Safeco Field, matched that total in the first.

Ichiro Suzuki led off with a single, moved to second on a ground out by Jose Vidro and scored when Vazquez misplayed a grounder off the bat of Beltre. Ibanez then hooked Padilla's 2-0 fastball down the right field line for his second home run in as many days. After Lopez singled to right, Clement hit a ball back up the middle that Hamilton overran, allowing both runners to move into scoring position. Lopez scored on Padilla's balk and Johjima rounded out the offense with a sacrifice fly.

Texas got on the board in the next frame on Young's RBI single that plated Kinsler. The Rangers added another run in the second on German Duran's sacrifice fly.

The Rangers pulled ahead with four runs in the third. Hamilton and Milton Bradley clubbed back-to-back home runs to begin the frame, and Bedard issued a walk to Brandon Boggs, who advanced to third on a double from Laird. Shelton then tied the score with a single to right, ending the left-hander's night. Cha Seung Baek induced a 6-4-3 double play from Duran, though, Laird scored from third on the play to give Texas a 6-5 advantage.

An RBI double by Yuniesky Betancourt tied the score in the sixth, but the Rangers broke the game open with four runs in the seventh. Laird singled to start the frame, and after Shelton bunted him over to second, Duran worked a walk. A wild pitch by Ryan Rowland-Smith moved the runners into scoring position. After Vazquez struck out swinging, Mark Lowe took over on the mound and issued a free pass to Kinsler, which loaded the bases for Young. The Rangers shortstop hit a routine grounder that Lopez bobbled and allowed Laird to cross the plate. Hamilton then slapped a two-run single to left field and Frank Catalanotto tacked on another run with a pinch-hit single.

Balentien clubbed a two-run homer in the eighth to make it a 10-8 game, but the Rangers got the runs back in the bottom half on a pair of bases loaded walks.

Game Notes

Suzuki has hit safely in 12 straight games...Seattle's pitching staff issued 13 walks...Bradley left in the seventh inning with a strained right shoulder...Texas left 13 men on base, while the Mariners stranded five.