21

Final 1 2 3   4 5 6   7 8 9   R H E Seattle 0 8 8 1 0 0 0 4 0 21 20 1 Texas 0 0 0 0 0 5 2 0 1 8 13 1

8

  W: B. Beavan (3-4)   L: D. Holland (4-4)   S: H. Iwakuma (1)

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By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN

(AP) -- Runs could be difficult to come by in this series finale between the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners.

Starting pitchers Derek Holland of Texas and Blake Beavan of Seattle have each enjoyed success against his opponent heading into Wednesday night's matchup in Arlington.

Texas (31-19) won Monday's series opener 4-2, then Seattle (22-30) ended a five-game losing streak with Tuesday's 10-3 rout. The Rangers lead the season series, 5-4.

Neither Holland (4-3, 4.05 ERA) nor Beavan (2-4, 4.38) has been overly impressive this season, but both should feel good about their chances Wednesday. Holland is 4-0 with a 2.70 ERA in his last five starts against the Mariners while Beavan has a 1.71 ERA despite a 1-2 record in three career outings against the Rangers.

Holland's lone outing against Seattle this year was a 5-3 victory April 12 as he yielded two runs and five hits over 7 1-3 innings. Those numbers were identical in the left-hander's last start as he struck out a season-high nine Friday to earn a 14-3 win over Toronto.

He ranks among the MLB leaders with a run-support average of 6.75.

Beavan, acquired from the Rangers in the Cliff Lee deal two years ago, will likely have fewer nerves in his second start in Arlington. The right-hander, born in nearby Irving, gave up one run over 6 1-3 innings in a 1-0 loss at Texas on April 10 in front of numerous local supporters.

"I'm still excited to pitch here, but it's not like the first time," Beavan told the Mariners' official website. "I'm really focusing on going out and putting up good quality innings and making good quality pitches and keeping our guys in the game."

He matched a season high with 101 pitches Friday, yielding three runs over seven innings before Brandon League blew a ninth-inning lead in a 6-4 defeat to the Angels.

Beavan has fared well against Josh Hamilton, limiting the slugger to one hit - a double - in nine at-bats.

Hamilton returned to the lineup Tuesday with his major league-leading 21st homer and three RBIs to hike his total to 56, also the best in baseball. The slugger played through a sinus infection and upper respiratory problem.

"It's Josh Hamilton," manager Ron Washington said. "He went out, he worked, he said he felt good enough to play. He played and he delivered three runs for us. But it just wasn't enough, because we couldn't get anything going."

The Mariners, meanwhile, had their first seven batters reach in a six-run eighth inning to break the game open.

"It's definitely good for us to be able to put up some runs, especially late in the game," third baseman Kyle Seager said. "Every once in a while you break out. Any time we can get everybody putting up some good ABs like that, it's definitely positive."

Seager and Michael Saunders each finished with three hits and John Jaso homered and drove in three runs. That trio combined to go 1 for 10 in the series opener.

Updated May 30, 2012