Rangers recap: Three-run first is enough as Iwakuma stifles Texas bats

The Mariners struck for three runs in the first starter Hisashi Iwakuma held off the Rangers for seven innings to even the sereis at a game apiece with a 3-2 win Tuesday night at Globe Life Park. The teams play the rubber match at 1:05 p.m. Wednesday.

Pitching: Rookie Chi Chi Gonzalez surrendered three runs in the first but just as he did last week in Minnesota, he settled down and kept the Rangers in the game with six solid innings. He surrendered three of his five hits in the first, two doubles and a two-run homer by Seth Smith. Gonzalez finished with seven strikeouts, a walk and a hit batter. Sam Freeman started the seventh and left with two outs after a Ketel Marte double and walk to Kyle Seager. Spencer Patton came in and struck out Nelson Cruz to end the threat. Jake Diekman pitched a perfect eighth to keep it locked at 3-2.

Hitting: Rougned Odor’s solo homer got the Rangers on the board in the second against Mariners’ starter Hisashi Iwakuma. Elvis Andrus reached on a fielder’s choice in the seventh and moved to third on Odor’s single and scored on Bobby Wilson’s sacrifice fly to pull Texas to within 3-2. Iwakuma threw a no-hitter in his previous start. He held the Rangers to two runs on five hits in seven innings.

Against reliever Carson Smith in the ninth the Rangers were retired in order as Prince Fielder grounded out, Adrian Beltre struck out and Mitch Moreland ground out to first.

Notable: The Rangers’ five-game win streak and eight-game home winning streaks were snapped with the loss ... Shin-Soo Choo singled in the first to give him 28 hits since the All-Star break ... The Rangers bullpen has allowed just three earned runs in the past 21 innings, including three scoreless Tuesday ... the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer and Dallas resident Jordan Spieth threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

This story was originally published August 18, 2015 at 10:26 PM with the headline "Rangers recap: Three-run first is enough as Iwakuma stifles Texas bats."