Two key calls go Mariners’ way in 3-1 victory over Rangers

This was one of those game-of-inches nights Friday at Globe Life Park and two critical calls went the Mariners’ way in a 3-1 victory over the Texas Rangers.

Ketel Marte keyed a three-run second inning with a two-run double on a hopper just fair past third base — a play that was not reviewable under the rules.

Texas manager Jeff Banister disagreed sufficiently to get himself ejected.

And when the Rangers threatened a comeback in the eighth inning against Carson Smith, the Mariners challenged a “safe” call at third — and the play was overturned.

So it goes.

Let’s reset from the back end: Smith inherited a two-run lead to start the eighth but began the inning by walking Adrian Beltre.

Prince Fielder then hit a Baltimore chop to first that should have been an out, but Logan Morrison simply whiffed on the catch when the ball finally came down.

A wild pitch moved Beltre to third — initially. The Mariners challenged, and a replay showed Beltre came off off the base for an instant while Kyle Seager kept the tag applied.

Smith closed out the inning before Tom Wilhelmsen pitched the ninth for his 12th save overall and his 10 in 10 chances since reclaiming the closer’s job in late August.

The victory boosted the Mariners to 72-76, which marks the first time they’ve been within four games of .500 since a June 2 loss dropped them to 24-28.

James Paxton started and pitched into the fifth inning but never found a consistent comfort zone. He exited after walking in Texas’ only run. Danny Farquhar (1-4) got the victory.

The Mariners opened the scoring on Marte’s disputed two-out, two-run double on a grounder over third base in the second inning.

Morrison reached on a one-out walk and went to third when Brad Miller squirted a clearly-fair grounder past third base. Texas starter Yovani Gallardo struck out Steven Baron before Marte cued his double past third.

Umpire Chris Guccione ruled the ball fair, and replays showed the ball hitting the chalk, but it was close — but Banister argued the call until Guccione decided he’d heard enough.

Seager followed with a bloop single to left that fell in front of Mike Napoli (yes, Napoli in left for a fifth straight game) and scored Marte for a 3-0 lead.

That was all the Mariners got.

Paxton pitched out of a two-on, one-out jam in the Texas third by striking out Fielder and retiring Napoli on a fly to right.

The Mariners then missed a chance to extend their lead in the fifth after Marte led off with a double. They had runners at first and third with one out, but Cano grounded into a double play.

Texas stirred to life later in the inning on successive one-out singles by Delino DeShields and Shin-Soo Choo. The latter was a sinking drive to right that kicked off the glove of a late-breaking Mark Trumbo.

When Paxton forced in a run by walking Beltre and Fielder, the Mariners went to their bullpen for Danny Farquhar, who got Napoli to ground into a double play.

Paxton gave up one run and six hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out six but walked four and had two wild pitches while throwing just 46 of 88 pitches for strikes.

Gallardo (12-11) exited after yielding a leadoff single in the sixth to Mark Trumbo. In came Andrew Faulkner, who got Seth Smith to ground into a double play.

After Farquhar pitched a scoreless sixth, the Mariners called on Logan Kensing, who got the first two outs in the seventh. Roenis Elias replaced Kensing and struck out Choo.

That got the game to Carson Smith.

This story was originally published September 18, 2015 at 8:28 PM with the headline "Two key calls go Mariners’ way in 3-1 victory over Rangers."