Grimm Struggles As M's Pound Rangers 9-2
ARLINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) -- Rangers' starter Justin Grimm struggled in June, surrendering 25 runs in as many innings.
After a visit from the fourth-place Mariners, he's off to an even worse start in July.
Grimm (7-6) surrendered six runs, including three homeruns, as the Mariners beat the Rangers 9-2 on Tuesday night at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
"He made some mistakes with some balls he left up," said manager Ron Washington following the game. "The guys in the middle of their order just didn't miss. He's just got to keep grinding -- that's all you can do."
Seattle catcher Raul Ibanez started the scoring in the first inning. After Grimm retired the first two batters of the game, Ibanez drilled a 2-1 pitch to right field for his 20th HR of the season.
DH Kendrys Morales followed Ibanez with a shot of his own. The consecutive solo shots marked the fifth time this season the Mariners have gone back-to-back, giving Seattle a 2-0 lead.
Texas answered in the third. Leonys Martin led off the inning with a bunt single to extend his career-high hitting streak to 15 games. After a single by second baseman Ian Kinsler, Elvis Andrus hit a soft liner to left to score Martin.
But Mariners' starter Joe Saunders (6-8) limited the damage by retiring the next three Rangers to escape the inning.
Saunders allowed 10 hits in 6 2-3 innings with five K's, allowing one ER to collect the win.
Seattle built on their lead in the fourth with an RBI-double by centerfielder Dustin Ackley. The Mariners threatened to extend the lead, but 3B Adrian Beltre fielded a grounder and fired home to get Justin Smoak at the plate. Grimm then forced consecutive ground outs to end the threat.
The Mariners broke the game wide open in the fifth when Morales hit his second HR of the game, a three-run shot to push the lead to 6-1.
After allowing three HR to Seattle, Grimm has now allowed eight in his last 11 starts.
"I just left some pitches up and they got a hold of them, unfortunately," said Grimm following the loss. "I just didn't execute pitches. I just didn't do my job."
Reliever Ross Wolf was unable to stop the bleeding, surrendering Morales' fifth and six RBIs of the game on a double in the sixth inning. Mike Zunino added an RBI-single in the seventh.
Texas managed a run in the seventh inning when Adrian Beltre struck out but the ball got away from the catcher. Pinch runner Engel Beltre scampered home to make it 9-2.
Seattle RHP Felix Hernandez is set to take on Texas LHP Derek Holland on Wednesday night. The series concludes on Thursday.
Notes
- Colby Lewis threw 37 pitches in a bullpen session on Tuesday. He is expected to throw another session on Thursday.
- In a 120-ft long ball session, Matt Harrison tossed 25 and will continue to throw this week.
- Texas did not hit a homerun in their three game series with the Reds. It was the first time the Rangers had 0 HR in a 3+ game series at home since June 8-9-11, 2009. They were homerless again on Tuesday.
- Leonys Martin has extended his career-high hitting streak to 15 games, the longest active streak in the majors.
- Martin collected a stolen base in the third inning. He now has a SB in five consecutive games, one shy of the club record (John Lowenstein, 1978).
- With 8 K's on Sunday, Yu Darvish now has 5+ K's in 29 consecutive regular season starts dating back to July 21, 2012. That is the longest streak since Johan Santana had a 38-game run in 2004-2005.
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