Mike Napoli leads Rangers’ homer parade over Mariners

The Texas Rangers jumped on Yovani Gallardo for five runs in the first inning and exploded again for five in the sixth for a 10-4 win Saturday over the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Park.

The Rangers collected five, two-out hits in the first, including a two-run homer by Mike Napoli that staked Martin Perez to a 5-0 lead. Perez held the Mariners to a run through the first five innings but Mike Zunino’s three-run homer in the sixth knocked from Perez from the game. He was charged with four runs on seven hits and two walks over  5 1/3 innings. He earned his first win since May 18 to improve to 3-6. Gallardo (3-7) took the loss.

“It looked like the Mike Napoli that we all know,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “I think more than anything else it’s the continued attack in those two innings that continued to allow us to put runs on the board. Just the tack-on runs were huge for us today up and down the lineup.”

The Rangers moved a game over .500 (34-33) for the first time since May 24 and have won seven of their past eight games and eight of 10.

They go for the sweep at 2 p.m. Sunday as Yu Darvish (6-4) faces Christian Bergman (3-4).

The Rangers are 9-7 since Adrian Beltre returned from the DL on May 29.

“I think over the last week or so our offense has been clicking better, and we know that’s what we expect from this ball club,” said Beltre, who collected a single during the first-inning rally to move into 32nd all-time with 2,957 hits. “Going forward, hopefully that’ll be the case. We’ll be more consistent and do that more often for our pitching staff.”

Beltre is hitting .300 with nine RBIs since returning.

“It’s not me at all. I think the guys are having better at-bats, a better approach,” he said. “If Napoli connects with those balls and Carlos Gomez yesterday hit those balls, there’s nothing I have to do with that. I think guys are feeling better swinging the bat, and obviously we want that to continue because we’re going to need those guys.”

The Rangers have been hot before this season. They won 10 in a row from May 9-19 to improve to three games above .500 but then lost six of seven.

“[He’s] the heartbeat of our lineup. Not only in the batter’s box but out on the defense also,” Banister said. “For him to be able to walk to the mound and calm some guys down, settle some things down on defense. His instincts, his eyes, what he brings is irreplaceable.”

This story was originally published June 17, 2017 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Mike Napoli leads Rangers’ homer parade over Mariners."