Jake Burger hit a two-run homer and added a tiebreaking single as the Texas Rangers defeated the visiting Seattle Mariners 5-4 on Friday in the opener of a four-game series.
Wyatt Langford also went deep for Texas, which moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the defending division champion Mariners in the American League West.
Peyton Gray (5-0) pitched a scoreless inning of relief with two strikeouts to earn the victory. All-Star Jacob Latz worked the ninth for his 20th save despite allowing a run on a double by rookie Colt Emerson, a groundout and a wild pitch.
Texas broke a 3-all tie in the sixth. Brandon Nimmo lined a one-out single to right, and Evan Carter walked. That was it for Mariners starter Bryce Miller (4-5), who was replaced by Eduard Bazardo.
Burger grounded the reliever’s first pitch for a run-scoring single to center, with Carter advancing to third on the play. Nicky Lopez then dropped down a sacrifice bunt, with Bazardo’s underhanded toss going off the end of catcher Cal Raleigh’s mitt as Carter came home.
Elias Diaz lined a single to right, loading the bases, before Bazardo struck out Alejandro Osuna and got Joc Pederson to foul out down the third base line.
Miller was charged with five runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings as the native of nearby Mount Pleasant, Texas, dropped to 0-4 in six career starts against the Rangers. The right-hander walked one and didn’t strike out a batter.
The Rangers took an early lead as Langford homered with one out in the bottom of the first inning, taking a 1-1 splitter from Miller just over the fence in left.
Seattle tied it in the second. Josh Naylor drew a one-out walk and took second as Cole Young grounded a single into right field. With two outs, Weston Wilson lined a run-scoring single to right to make it 1-1.
The Rangers regained the lead with two runs in the fourth. Ezequiel Duran led off by lining a single to left. Two outs later, Burger went deep to right on an 0-2 fastball.
The Mariners again rallied to tie it in the next inning. Emerson and Randy Arozarena began the frame with singles to right. An out later, Dominic Canzone lined a two-run double to left-center that just got between the outfielders and rolled to the wall.
Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore gave up three runs on seven hits over five innings. The left-hander walked two and fanned five.
