J.P. Crawford’s 2-out hit in the ninth inning lifts Mariners past Rangers 3-2
SEATTLE (AP) — J.P. Crawford lined a two-run double with two out in the ninth inning, lifting the Seattle Mariners to a 3-2 win over Texas on Thursday night and stopping the Rangers from clinching a playoff berth for at least one day.
Seattle’s first three batters of the ninth reached against Aroldis Chapman (6-5) on two hits and a walk. Jonathan Hernández then came in and retired pinch-hitter Mike Ford on a fly ball to shallow center. Josh Rojas fouled out for the second out, also not deep enough for Cal Raleigh to score from third.
But Crawford went the other way and drove a 1-1 pitch over the head of left fielder Evan Carter. Raleigh and Dylan Moore scored to keep Seattle’s playoff hopes very much alive.
The Mariners (86-73) pulled within one game of idle Houston in the race for the final AL wild card. Seattle also holds the tiebreaker over the Astros.
For most of the night, it appeared as if the AL West-leading Rangers (89-70) would be celebrating.
Adolis García hit his 39th homer and Jordan Montgomery pitched six innings of one-run ball. Leody Tavares also connected for the Rangers, who managed just three hits against Logan Gilbert.
Tavares and García took advantage of the two mistakes Gilbert made, and the Rangers pitching made it stand up — until the ninth. Tavares hit his 14th homer on a fastball left in the middle of the plate in the third inning, and García clubbed a slider with two outs in the fourth.
Gilbert struck out five in six innings. Aside from the two solo homers and an infield single from Corey Seager, he was masterful. He corrected the control problems that led to four walks last weekend against the Rangers and gave the Mariners a chance.
Julio Rodríguez hit his 32nd homer of the season leading off the fourth inning, but that was only time Seattle scored off Montgomery despite some traffic on the bases. Jose Caballero was thrown out at third base trying to advance on Crawford’s base hit in the fifth. Eugenio Suárez was stranded after a leadoff double in the sixth.
Montgomery allowed five hits and struck out five. He surrendered two earned runs over his final 27 innings of the regular season.
Andres Munoz (4-7) earned the victory getting the last out of the ninth.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Texas has not announced a Friday starter, but it would be the turn for RHP Nathan Eovaldi if the Rangers stay on rotation. Eovaldi (12-4, 3.26 ERA) allowed five runs in five innings against Seattle last weekend and earned his first win since going on the injured list in late July.
Mariners: Seattle has not set a starter for Friday, but manager Scott Servais said it was likely RHP Bryan Woo will pitch in some capacity. The Mariners may use an opener ahead of Woo, who gave up six runs in 3 1/3 innings vs. Texas last weekend.
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