SEATTLE _ The Mariners' quest to win a three-game series ended in failure thanks to poor bullpen work and worse defense.
Asdrubal Cabrera's two-out single in the top of the ninth gave the Rangers the go-ahead run for an 8-7 victory against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
Seattle got the tying run and winning run on base in the bottom of the ninth, but Domingo Santana struck out and Kyle Seager grounded into a game-ending double play.
The Mariners fell to 24-34 on the season. They've lost five of their last six games to Texas.
The bullpen gave up five runs in relief, and three errors were the main culprits.
The beginning of Mariners lefty Wade LeBlanc's start was less than ideal. He gave up back-to-back singles to start the game. With one out, the awkward and energetic Hunter Pence smoked a triple into the gap in left-center to score both runners with ease. Cabrera later added an RBI single to give the Rangers a 3-0 lead before the Mariners even got to think about hitting.
But LeBlanc was able to right his shaky start, pitching the next four inning and allowing his teammates to take a 4-3 lead.
Seattle picked up its first run in third inning. Shed Long led off with a double and scored on Mallex Smith's single to right.
An inning later, the Mariners grabbed the lead. Tim Beckham, who was starting in place of the inured J.P. Crawford, hit his 10th homer of the season _ a two-run dinger _ that just cleared the wall in right field to tie the score. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, Mitch Haniger, who had struck out in his previous two at-bats, hit a ground ball fielders' choice to score a run and a 4-3 lead.
The Rangers answered with two unearned runs in the sixth inning to retake the lead, using three errors by Mariners pitchers in one inning to score two runs. LeBlanc's replacement, Jesse Biddle, committed two errors on one play _ misplaying a one-out comebacker and then unwisely trying to throw to first, which went awry.
Seattle showed some resolve and retook the lead in the bottom of the inning. Long drew a walk and scored on Smith's triple to the gap in left-center. Haniger followed with a two-run homer of the foul pole in left field to make it 7-5.
