clarinews@clarinet.com (MIKE RABUN, UPI Sports Writer) (09/21/89)
ARLINGTON, Texas (UPI) -- When the Texas Rangers left five men on base in the first two innings and surrendered the lead in the sixth Wednesday night, it looked very familiar to Texas manager Bobby Valentine. ``That game had the makings of a lot of tough losses we've had this year,'' Valentine said. ``But this time we got the breaks instead of the other team.'' The break Texas needed was a wild pitch that allowed Cecil Espy to score all the way from second and which also set up the go-ahead run that boosted the Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners. It was the fourth straight Texas win, the Rangers' longest victory streak in two months. Mike Jeffcoat, 9-5, won his fourth consecutive decision -- giving up eight hits over seven innings. Jeff Russell worked the final inning for his 36th save and second in as many nights, after sitting out 10 games with back spasms. Reliever Keith Comstock, 1-2, took the loss after Mariners rookie starter Erik Hanson gave up two runs over 6 1/3 innings. ``Our bullpen had some tough times early in the year,'' Valentine said. ``But for the last six weeks it has been excellent. It should be a plus for us going into next year, but you still need starters. ``As soon as one part of your pitching staff starts to sag, the whole thing breaks down.'' Seattle played its 49th one-run game (which ties California for most in the league) and the Mariners' 28 one-run losses is a league high. Texas trailed going into the seventh, 2-1, but Cecil Espy singled, and when Fred Manrique sacrificed him to second, the Mariners brought in Comstock. Comstock promptly walked Rafael Palmiero and then threw a wild pitch with Sierra at the plate. Seattle catcher Dave Valle could not immediately locate the ball, which bounced toward the third base dugout, and Espy scored all the way from second with the tying run. Palmiero moved from first to third on the wild pitch and scored the go-ahead run on Sierra's sacrifice fly. ``I've never lost a game on a two-base wild pitch,'' said Mariners manager Jim Lefebvre. ``That was a killer. ``Erik was struggling and we brought Comstock in to face Palmiero because it was the move to make. He just wasn't supposed to walk him. We left Comstock in to face Sierra because we thought he could get him with his screwball. Then, he throws it away. It was a tough way to lose.'' Manrique singled with one out in the first, moved to second on a walk and came in with the game's first run when Sierra singled to left. Manrique had stopped at third, but scored when left fielder Darnell Coles bobbled Sierra's hit for an error. Seattle's two runs came on back-to-back homers in the sixth by Jeffrey Leonard, his 24th, and Ken Griffey, his 16th.