/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69539525/usa_today_16364972.0.jpg)
The Texas Rangers scored seven runs and the Seattle Mariners scored three runs.
Nobody would confuse the Mariners for being good at baseball for virtually their entire existence and yet, somehow, the Rangers had lost 13 consecutive games in the stadium formerly known as Safeco that spanned nearly two years of Ls in the Pacific Northwest. And we thought the Coliseum was haunted.
The last time Texas conquered Seattle at T-Mobile Park was all the way back on July 23, 2019 during the Asdrubal Cabrera era of Rangers baseball. Pedro Payano was the winning pitcher. Needless to say, it’s been a minute.
But the big hand has struck 12 and the Rangers beat the streak tonight thanks to some power from Eli White and John Hicks and a stellar outing from start Jordan Lyles.
Lyles went six innings and allowed two runs on five hits with two walks and six Ks. Lyles had been asking to go longer in games and the Rangers obliged tonight as he tossed a career-high 124 pitches.
Yes, Kyle Seager did smack a home run but the bases weren’t loaded with the Rangers up by three runs so it was merely a pinprick instead of a beheading on the Rangers’ Seager Suffering scale.
Here’s hoping it won’t take another two years to win a game in the Emerald City.
Player of the Game: Veteran catcher Hicks has made two starts for the Rangers since he joined the team with Jose Trevino hitting the IL at the beginning of this West Coast road trip and Hicks now has hit three home runs, including two tonight.
Overall, Hicks went 2-for-4 with the two blasts and is 4-for-8 with 13 total bases since joining the big league club.
Props also to White who had a big three-run home run, walked twice, and stole a base.
Up Next: The Rangers and Mariners close out this series with an Independence Day afternoon rubber match. RHP Mike Foltynewicz will make the start for Texas against RHP Chris Flexen for Seattle. The first pitch in Sunday’s finale is scheduled for 3:10 pm CT.