(Best E Casino) - The
Texas Rangers try for a series win this evening, when they wrap up their four-game set with the
Seattle Mariners at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
In the third game of this matchup on Wednesday, Michael Young's sacrifice fly drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning, lifting Texas to a 4-3 win. Josh Hamilton and Brandon Boggs each clubbed solo home runs for the Rangers, who have won the last two games of this series and four of their last six contests overall.
Eddie Guardado (2-2) pitched a scoreless frame to get the win for Texas in relief of starter Vicente Padilla, who gave up three runs on 10 hits over seven innings.
Willie Bloomquist finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for Seattle, which has dropped nine of its last 11 games. Ichiro Suzuki had three hits and a walk, while Jeremy Reed went 2-for-3 and knocked in a run.
Seattle starter Miguel Batista allowed three runs -- two earned -- on seven hits in six innings of a no-decision. Arthur Rhodes (2-1) yielded the deciding run without giving up a hit to take the loss.
Texas will pin its hopes tonight on lefty Matt Harrison, who has won two of his three decisions since being called up from the minors. Harrison earned the win on Saturday in Oakland, holding the Athletics to three runs (1 earned) and five hits in five innings.
Harrison, who is pitching to a 7.32 ERA, will be facing Seattle for the first time.
Heading to the hill for the Mariners tonight will be right-hander R.A. Dickey, who is just 2-6 with a 4.62 ERA. Dickey lost his third straight decision Saturday against Toronto, as he allowed eight runs and 10 hits with four walks in 5 1/3 innings.
Dickey has never faced the Rangers, but spent the first five years of his major league career with them after being a first round pick of Texas in 1996.
Texas has won eight of its 13 matchups with the Mariners this season.