SEATTLE (AP) – Mitch Haniger‘s infield grounder with the bases loaded brought home the winning run in the 11th inning to give the Seattle Mariners a 5-4 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night.
Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run homer and drove in the other four runs for the Mariners.
Omar Narvaez singled with one out in the 11th before Ryon Healy and Dee Gordon walked to load the bases off Kyle Dowdy (1-1). Haniger hit a grounder to third that was bobbled by Logan Forsythe as he threw to second base.
Roenis Elias (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings to earn the win.
The Mariners led 4-3 in the ninth inning before a pinch-hit home run by Shin-Soo Choo off reliever Anthony Swarzak tied the game.
Rookie Yusei Kikuchi, who made his sixth start of the season, worked as an opener and had a two-strikeout, nine-pitch first inning before calling it a night. This is part of the plan for Kikuchi to limit his innings this season as he adjusts to the major leagues. Starting pitchers in Japan typically pitch only once a week.
Justus Sheffield, acquired by the Mariners in the trade that sent James Paxton to the Yankees, was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma to make his season debut in the second inning. He allowed two runs in three innings of relief.
Shelby Miller allowed four runs in five innings as the Rangers lost their fifth consecutive game.
ANDRUS MILESTONE
Shortstop Elvis Andrus played in his 1,500th game Friday since his Rangers debut on April 6, 2009. It makes him the fifth player to reach that milestone in a Rangers uniform.
HEARN ON IL DAY AFTER MLB DEBUT
Rangers LHP Taylor Hearn, who recorded only one out while facing eight batters in his major league debut Thursday, was placed on the 10-day IL Friday with tightness in his left elbow. Hearn will see a doctor back in Texas on Saturday, but team officials don’t think the injury is serious.
RHP Wei-Chieh Huang was recalled from Double-A Frisco one day after being optioned for Hearn’s debut.
ODOR RETURNS
Rangers: 2B Rougned Odor rejoined the team Friday and was activated off the IL after a two-game rehab assignment in Nashville. Odor was placed on IL April 11 with a right knee sprain. . RHP Ariel Jarado also was recalled from Nashville Friday. . LHP Jeffrey Springs and INF Jeffrey Wisdom were optioned to Nashville.
Mariners: RHP Shawn Armstrong was designated for assignment Friday when the team recalled Sheffield from Triple-A Tacoma.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: 3B Asdrubal Cabrera, who left Thursday’s game in the second inning with tightness in his left calf, had an MRI Friday and it was negative. He took BP in the cage Friday, but did not play and is listed as day-to-day.
Mariners: Jay Bruce returned to the starting lineup, playing right field, after missing four consecutive games with tightness in his quad.
UP NEXT
Rangers: LHP Mike Minor (2-2, 3.21) will make his sixth start of the season Saturday night in Seattle. Minor has allowed two earned runs or less in three of his last four starts, including a shutout on April 16. But he took the loss at Oakland on April 22, allowing four runs on four hits in six innings. Minor was 0-2 in four starts against Seattle last season, posting a 6.87 ERA in those games.
Mariners: RHP Mike Leake (2-2, 4.30) will make his sixth start of the season Saturday night against Texas. Leake is one of only three pitchers (with Jon Lester of the Cubs and Max Scherzer of the Nationals) to make at least 30 starts every season from 2012 through 2018.
