GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: AL: SEATTLE (54-41) at TEXAS (42-56)

AL: SEATTLE at TEXAS

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
AL
SEATTLE 7
TEXAS 8 FINAL</div>

 

AL: SEATTLE at TEXAS

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SEATTLE (7) AT TEXAS (8) - HOW THEY SCORED
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SEATTLE 1ST: I Suzuki singled to center. J Vidro walked, I Suzuki to
second. R Ibanez walked, I Suzuki to third, J Vidro to second. J Guillen
singled to left, I Suzuki and J Vidro scored, R Ibanez to second. A Beltre
singled to left, R Ibanez to third, J Guillen to second. R Sexson struck out
swinging. K Johjima grounded into double play, third to second to first,
A Beltre out at second.(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 2, TEXAS 0.

TEXAS 3RD: T Metcalf doubled to deep right center. K Lofton struck out
swinging. M Young singled to left, T Metcalf scored. M Teixeira walked,
M Young to second. S Sosa doubled to deep left, M Young and M Teixeira scored.
M Byrd grounded into fielder's choice to pitcher, S Sosa out at second.
A Melhuse flied out to right. (3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 2, TEXAS 3.

SEATTLE 4TH: J Lopez flied out to right. Y Betancourt grounded out to
third. I Suzuki reached on infield single to second. I Suzuki stole second.
J Vidro singled to center, I Suzuki scored, J Vidro to second advancing on throw.
R Ibanez struck out swinging. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 3, TEXAS 3.

TEXAS 5TH: K Lofton singled to left. M Young singled to left, K Lofton to
second. M Teixeira flied out to center. S Sosa homered to left, K Lofton and
M Young scored. M Byrd singled to shallow right. M Byrd stole second.
A Melhuse struck out swinging. B Wilkerson homered to center, M Byrd scored.
R Rowland-Smith relieved H Ramirez. J Hairston Jr flied out to center. (5 Runs,
5 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 3, TEXAS 8.

SEATTLE 6TH: J Lopez reached on infield single to shortstop. Y Betancourt
popped out to second. R Mahay relieved K Millwood. I Suzuki struck out
swinging. J Vidro doubled to deep center, J Lopez scored. R Ibanez singled to
left, J Vidro to third. F Francisco relieved R Mahay. J Guillen struck out
swinging. (1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 4, TEXAS 8.

SEATTLE 9TH: E Gagne relieved F Francisco. J Guillen singled to left.
A Beltre doubled to deep left, J Guillen to third. R Sexson homered to center,
J Guillen and A Beltre scored. K Johjima singled to left. W Bloomquist ran for
K Johjima. J Lopez grounded into fielder's choice to third, W Bloomquist out at
second. B Broussard hit for Y Betancourt. B Broussard flied into double play,
right to first, J Lopez doubled off first.(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 7,
TEXAS 8.</div>

 

Sosa awakens with five RBI as Rangers beat Mariners

<h3>TEXAS 8, SEATTLE 7</h3><div class="pre">ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Sammy Sosa broke out of his slump</div>in a big way.


After going hitless in his previous three games, Sosa belted his15th home run of the season and 603rd of his career whiledriving in five runs to lead the Texas Rangers to an 8-7 victoryover the Seattle Mariners on Monday night.


Sosa and Brad Wilkerson each homered in a five-run fifth inningoff Seattle starter Horacio Ramirez (5-3) to break open a 3-3game.


Texas won for just the second time in its last six games, whileSeattle lost its third straight.


Sosa hadn't played since leaving Saturday night's game againstCleveland after getting hit in the head with a pitch, and was0-for-9 in his last three games. He was hitting just .140(6-for-43) with one RBI in his last 12 games.


<div class="pre">Texas erupted for five runs in the fifth to turn a 3-3 tie into</div>a blowout. Kenny Lofton and Michael Young each singled. Onebatter later Sosa drilled one into the third row in left fieldas Ramirez became the 366th home run victim of Sosa's career.Marlon Byrd then blooped a single into shallow right andsubsequently stole second. After Adam Melhuse struck out,Wilkerson launched his 15th home run just over the wall incenter to make it 8-3 and chase Ramirez.


Ramirez fell to 0-3 in five starts on the road with an ERA over13.00 after surrendering eight runs on 11 hits in just 4 2/3innings. He is 5-0 with a 2.27 ERA in five home starts.

After being shut out in consecutive games by Toronto, 1-0 and8-0, Seattle hadn't scored a run in 22 innings before breakingthrough for two in the first inning against Texas starter KevinMillwood (7-8).


The Mariners went to work immediately, with their first fivebatters reaching base safely. Ichiro Suzuki singled up themiddle to lead off and then Millwood walked both Jose Vidro andRaul Ibanez to load the bases, setting the stage for JoseGuillen's two-run single into left.


Adrian Beltre followed with another single to load the basesagain, but Millwood worked his way out of the jam by strikingout Richie Sexson and inducing Kenji Johjima to ground out intoa double play.


Millwood, now 3-1 in his last five starts, recovered to have apretty solid outing. The righthander allowed four runs on eighthits in 5 1/3 innings, while walking four and striking out four.

The Rangers came back to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of thethird. Rookie Travis Metcalf, who entered the night with a .184average, doubled to right-center and scored on Young's RBIsingle.


Ramirez then walked Mark Teixeira, and Sosa followed with atwo-run double to left, bringing home both Young and Teixeira.The throw home to catcher Johjima was extremely close, withTeixeira sliding in and getting his hand on the plate barelyahead of the tag, leading Johjima and Seattle manager JohnMcLaren to argue the call.


The Mariners tied it again in the top of the fourth when Ichirosingled with two outs and then stole second. It was Ichiro's26th stolen base of the season, third in the AL. He raced homeon Vidro's RBI single up the middle.


Ron Mahay and Frank Francisco combined for three scorelessinnings before Eric Gagne allowed a three-run homer to RichieSexson that made the score 8-7 in the ninth. He then got BenBroussard to line out to right field, and Byrd lined into adouble play to end it.


Vidro, who had a season-high four hits, added an RBI double inthe sixth for Seattle, which has lost three straight for thefirst time since June 13-19.

 

AL: SEATTLE at TEXAS

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SEATTLE (7) AT TEXAS (8) - EVENT LOG
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Seattle Starting Lineups -- I Suzuki CF, J Vidro DH, R Ibanez LF, J Guillen RF,
A Beltre 3B, R Sexson 1B, K Johjima C, J Lopez 2B, Y Betancourt SS, H Ramirez LHP.

Texas Starting Lineups -- K Lofton CF, M Young SS, M Teixeira 1B, S Sosa DH,
M Byrd RF, A Melhuse C, B Wilkerson LF, J Hairston Jr 2B, T Metcalf 3B,
K Millwood RHP.

Umpires -- Lance Barksdale (HP), Gary Cederstrom (1B), Angel Campos (2B), Tim Welke (3B).

Gametime Weather: 85 degrees, Cloudy, wind out to left at 9 mph.


SEATTLE 1ST: I Suzuki singled to center. J Vidro walked, I Suzuki to
second. R Ibanez walked, I Suzuki to third, J Vidro to second. J Guillen
singled to left, I Suzuki and J Vidro scored, R Ibanez to second. A Beltre
singled to left, R Ibanez to third, J Guillen to second. R Sexson struck out
swinging. K Johjima grounded into double play, third to second to first,
A Beltre out at second.(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 2, TEXAS 0.

TEXAS 1ST: K Lofton grounded out to second. M Young struck out swinging.
M Teixeira singled to center. S Sosa flied out to center. (0 Runs, 1 Hit,
0 Errors) SEATTLE 2, TEXAS 0.

SEATTLE 2ND: J Lopez reached on infield single to third. Y Betancourt
struck out looking. I Suzuki lined out to center. J Vidro singled to right,
J Lopez to second. R Ibanez grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors)
SEATTLE 2, TEXAS 0.

TEXAS 2ND: M Byrd struck out swinging. A Melhuse grounded out to
shortstop. B Wilkerson singled to right. J Hairston Jr grounded out to
pitcher. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 2, TEXAS 0.

SEATTLE 3RD: J Guillen grounded out to second. A Beltre walked. R Sexson
grounded out to pitcher, A Beltre to second. K Johjima grounded out to
pitcher. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 2, TEXAS 0.

TEXAS 3RD: T Metcalf doubled to deep right center. K Lofton struck out
swinging. M Young singled to left, T Metcalf scored. M Teixeira walked,
M Young to second. S Sosa doubled to deep left, M Young and M Teixeira scored.
M Byrd grounded into fielder's choice to pitcher, S Sosa out at second.
A Melhuse flied out to right. (3 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 2, TEXAS 3.

SEATTLE 4TH: J Lopez flied out to right. Y Betancourt grounded out to
third. I Suzuki reached on infield single to second. I Suzuki stole second.
J Vidro singled to center, I Suzuki scored, J Vidro to second advancing on throw.
R Ibanez struck out swinging. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 3, TEXAS 3.

TEXAS 4TH: B Wilkerson struck out swinging. J Hairston Jr reached on
infield single to third. T Metcalf grounded into double play, shortstop to
second to first, J Hairston Jr out at second.(0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 3,
TEXAS 3.

SEATTLE 5TH: J Guillen walked. A Beltre struck out swinging. R Sexson
flied out to center. K Johjima popped out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
SEATTLE 3, TEXAS 3.

TEXAS 5TH: K Lofton singled to left. M Young singled to left, K Lofton to
second. M Teixeira flied out to center. S Sosa homered to left, K Lofton and
M Young scored. M Byrd singled to shallow right. M Byrd stole second.
A Melhuse struck out swinging. B Wilkerson homered to center, M Byrd scored.
R Rowland-Smith relieved H Ramirez. J Hairston Jr flied out to center. (5 Runs,
5 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 3, TEXAS 8.

SEATTLE 6TH: J Lopez reached on infield single to shortstop. Y Betancourt
popped out to second. R Mahay relieved K Millwood. I Suzuki struck out
swinging. J Vidro doubled to deep center, J Lopez scored. R Ibanez singled to
left, J Vidro to third. F Francisco relieved R Mahay. J Guillen struck out
swinging. (1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 4, TEXAS 8.

TEXAS 6TH: T Metcalf struck out swinging. K Lofton singled to center.
M Young grounded out to second, K Lofton to second. M Teixeira struck out
looking. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 4, TEXAS 8.

SEATTLE 7TH: A Beltre lined out to first. R Sexson doubled to left.
K Johjima fouled out to first. J Lopez struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 1 Hit,
0 Errors) SEATTLE 4, TEXAS 8.

TEXAS 7TH: S Sosa grounded out to second. M Byrd struck out swinging.
A Melhuse flied out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 4, TEXAS 8.

SEATTLE 8TH: Y Betancourt flied out to left. I Suzuki flied out to left.
J Vidro singled to right center. R Ibanez grounded out to first. (0 Runs,
1 Hit, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 4, TEXAS 8.

TEXAS 8TH: G Sherrill relieved R Rowland-Smith. B Wilkerson grounded out to
second. J Hairston Jr popped out to second. T Metcalf doubled to deep left.
K Lofton flied out to center. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 4, TEXAS 8.

SEATTLE 9TH: E Gagne relieved F Francisco. J Guillen singled to left.
A Beltre doubled to deep left, J Guillen to third. R Sexson homered to center,
J Guillen and A Beltre scored. K Johjima singled to left. W Bloomquist ran for
K Johjima. J Lopez grounded into fielder's choice to third, W Bloomquist out at
second. B Broussard hit for Y Betancourt. B Broussard flied into double play,
right to first, J Lopez doubled off first.(3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) SEATTLE 7,
TEXAS 8.</div>

 

Sosa awakens with five RBI as Rangers beat Mariners

<h3>TEXAS 8, SEATTLE 7</h3><div class="pre">ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Sammy Sosa broke out of his slump</div>in a big way.


After going hitless in his previous three games, Sosa belted his15th home run of the season and 603rd of his career whiledriving in five runs to lead the Texas Rangers to an 8-7 victoryover the Seattle Mariners on Monday night.


Sosa and Brad Wilkerson each homered in a five-run fifth inningoff Seattle starter Horacio Ramirez (5-3) to break open a 3-3game.


Texas won for just the second time in its last six games, whileSeattle lost its third straight.


Sosa hadn't played since leaving Saturday night's game againstCleveland after getting hit in the head with a pitch, and was0-for-9 in his last three games. He was hitting just .140(6-for-43) with one RBI in his last 12 games.


"It's been a tough month for me, I'm not going to lie," Sosasaid. "Every player's got to go through a tough situation.

"The one thing I like about it, my teammates have been pickingme up. I know that the harder I work every day, somehow, someway I'm going to get out of this. Today was a great day andhopefully, I can pick it up from there, just continue to keep itgoing for the rest of the year."


<div class="pre">Texas erupted for five runs in the fifth to turn a 3-3 tie into</div>a blowout. With runners on first and second Sosa drilled ablast into the third row in left field as Ramirez became the366th home run victim of Sosa's career. Marlon Byrd then bloopeda single into shallow right and subsequently stole second.

"When you play this game for six months, there will be somepoint when you struggle," Texas manager Ron Washington said."Sammy battles. He never quits working, he never quits trying.That's a trait you'd like to see in everybody. It's good to seeit happen. In this game, he gave us insurance runs. We neededevery run. I hope it's a trend that keeps on."


After Adam Melhuse struck out, Wilkerson launched his 15th homerun just over the wall in center to make it 8-3 and chaseRamirez.


"I felt okay," Ramirez said. "There were some big situationswhere I gave up hits that barely got through. A few incheseither way could have made the difference. I wanted to stay outof the big inning. I didn't do that and that's why we lost."

Ramirez fell to 0-3 in five starts on the road with an ERA over13.72 after surrendering eight runs on 11 hits in just 4 2/3innings. He is 5-0 with a 2.27 ERA in five home starts.

"We have talked about this and I don't know what to say,"Seattle manager John McLaren said. "He's just comfortable athome. I don't know if it's the big ballpark, the cool air, theSeattle coffee he has in the morning - something makes him clickat home and we need to find out because we need this guy topitch on the road for us."


After being shut out in consecutive games by Toronto, 1-0 and8-0, Seattle had not scored a run in 22 innings before breakingthrough for two in the first inning against Texas starter KevinMillwood (7-8).


The Mariners went to work immediately, with their first fivebatters reaching base safely. Ichiro Suzuki singled up themiddle to lead off and then Millwood walked both Jose Vidro andRaul Ibanez to load the bases, setting the stage for JoseGuillen's two-run single into left.


Millwood, now 3-1 in his last five starts, recovered to have apretty solid outing. The righthander allowed four runs on eighthits in 5 1/3 innings, while walking four and striking out four.

The Rangers came back to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of thethird. Rookie Travis Metcalf, who entered the night with a .184average, doubled to right-center and scored on Young's RBIsingle.


Ramirez then walked Mark Teixeira, and Sosa followed with atwo-run double to left, bringing home both Young and Teixeira.Teixeira slid in just ahead of throw as Johjima missed a swipetag.


With an 8-4 lead, Ron Mahay and Frank Francisco combined forthree scoreless innings before Eric Gagne allowed a three-runhomer to Richie Sexson that made the score 8-7 in the ninth. Hethen got Ben Broussard to line out to the right fielder Byrd,who doubled off Jose Lopez at first to end it.


"It wasn't really pretty today, but I will take them however Ican get them," said Gagne, who gave up three runs for the firsttime in almost three years. "I didn't do my job today. I wentout there and I wasn't focused enough, I wasn't making mypitches and there's no excuse. I've got to execute."

Vidro, who had a season-high four hits, added an RBI double inthe sixth for Seattle, which has lost three straight for thefirst time since June 13-19.


"We battled back, I'm really proud of these guys," McLaren said."They came back in the ninth inning. We got a lot of fight inus. We're not like the team from last year and the year beforethat just accepts things. We're going to find our way throughthis, we've hit a little streak here."