Donovan Solano’s groundout in the 12th inning drove in the go-ahead run and Mitch Garver followed with a two-run homer as the Seattle Mariners outlasted the Texas Rangers 6-4 on Sunday afternoon to clinch a three-game series in Arlington, Texas.
Solano and Garver’s heroics off Texas reliever Cole Winn (0-1) capped a contest in which the teams combined to go 8-for-31 with runners in scoring position. Trent Thornton (2-0) pitched the final two innings, allowing one run and two walks and striking out two.
All three of the games in the series were decided in extra innings, with the Mariners winning 7-6 in 12 innings on Friday and the Rangers evening the set with a 3-2 victory in 10 on Saturday.
Garver had three hits and four RBI for Seattle on Sunday to lead its 13-hit attack. Evan Carter went 3-for-4 with a double to lead Texas, which had nine hits.
It looked like Solano and Garver had won the game for the Mariners in the 10th inning with RBI singles off Texas reliever Luke Jackson to give Seattle a 3-1 lead. But Corey Seager answered for Texas in the bottom of the frame with a ringing two-run home run to left-center field off Carlos Vargas to send the game to the 11th inning.
Texas grabbed the lead in the bottom of the second inning when Josh Jung’s single drove in Carter, who had doubled with one out.
The Mariners answered in the sixth as Garver singled with two outs to plate Randy Arozarena, who had singled with one out and advanced to second on a flyout by Dominic Canzone.
Luis Castillo started for the Mariners and Jack Leiter was first to the mound for Texas. Both went six innings and neither was involved in the decision while producing near-identical line scores.
Castillo allowed one run on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts but endured his seventh straight outing without a win. He has recorded two losses and five no-decisions since his last victory on May 19 over the White Sox in Chicago.
Leiter also gave up a run on seven hits without a walk and seven strikeouts. He was trying to produce his first win in June but finished the month with three losses in his five starts.
