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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – The Texas Rangers had already traded for
Randy Velarde by time the team made big news last winter with the
free-agent signings of Alex Rodriguez, Ken Caminiti and Andres
Galarraga.
|  | | Mariners first baseman Stan Javier had a tough day, dropping the ball here and going 0-for-3 at the plate. |
Texas's trade with Oakland for Velarde may have been
overshadowed by those big-name signings, but the 38-year-old second
baseman shouldn't be overlooked.
Velarde, who got a break from the starting lineup Sunday, hit a
game-winning homer in the eighth inning as the Rangers beat the
Seattle Mariners 5-4 to avoid a three-game sweep.
That came an inning after he entered the game as a defensive
replacement.
"I'm really familiar with this role, but it's not a role I care
for. It's a tough role," said Velarde, who spent the first nine
years of his career with the New York Yankees (1987-95) primarily
coming off the bench.
Velarde still made coming off the bench look easy.
Not only did Velarde's second homer win the game, it extended
his hitting streak to seven games. He is the only Texas player to
have a hit in every game this season, and he leads the AL with five
doubles.
Velarde also had an outstanding defensive play to start the
ninth. He charged a slow roller by Ichiro Suzuki, then scooped and
threw in one motion to throw out Seattle's speedy leadoff hitter.
"Randy is doing everything we would have hoped he would do, and
the outstanding defense is the first thing," Texas manager Johnny
Oates said. "He has a lot of extra-base hits and is hitting with
power, but the defense is the thing I'm excited about."
Velarde was the first batter faced by reliever Jose Paniagua
(0-1), who was pitching for the third straight day.
"He's a power pitcher, but today I think he came in with a
tired arm," Velarde said. "He wasn't popping the ball the way he
is capable of, and he's vulnerable like that. He left a fastball
over the plate."
Mark McLemore had tied the game at 4 in the top of the eighth
with a two-out, two-run homer off Mike Venafro, the first pinch-hit
homer by the Mariners since Matt Mieske hit one April 7, 1999.
"It was nice. It would have been nice if it would have won the
game," said McLemore, who played in Texas from 1995-99. "But we
won the series. That's what matters."
Bret Boone beat out an infield single – on a slow high-hopper
that shortstop Rodriguez fielded and followed with a strong throw –
to start the inning before McLemore's homer.
Venafro (1-0), the third Texas pitcher, was the winner though he
got just two outs. Tim Crabtree got the final two outs for his
second save.
Rodriguez, Seattle's former All-Star shortstop who signed a
record $252 million, 10-year contract with Texas during the
offseason, was 0-for-2 but reached base three times (two walks, hit
by pitch). He was 4-for-11 in the series, and is 8-for-27 (.296) on
the season.
The Rangers had gone ahead 4-2 when Galarraga greeted reliever
Norm Charlton with a leadoff homer in the seventh.
Rusty Greer's second double tied the game at 2 in the sixth by
scoring Bo Porter, who beat out an infield single to start the
inning. Frank Catalanotto followed with an RBI double to put the
Rangers ahead.
Greer was 3-for-3 with a walk against Freddy Garcia, increasing
his career totals to 8-for-10 against the Seattle right-hander.
Greer finished 3-for-4, grounding out against Charlton to lead off
the eighth.
Texas starter Kenny Rogers allowed two runs and six hits in 6
2/3 innings.
Garcia allowed three runs and eight hits in six innings. He
struck out three, walked five, and hit two batters – Rodriguez and
Galarraga in the fifth when Texas failed to score.
Seattle led 2-1 after solo homers by Boone in the second and
David Bell in the fifth.
Texas want ahead 1-0 in the first after Greer led off with a
double and scored on Rafael Palmeiro's double. The Rangers had the
bases loaded when Galarraga grounded into an inning-ending double
play and left nine runners on the first five innings.
Game notes
Texas grounded into two double plays, increasing its
AL-leading total to eight. ... While Seattle continues is road trip
with three games each at Oakland and Anaheim, the Rangers begin a
nine-game trip Tuesday to Anaheim, Oakland and Seattle. ... As part
of Salute to Youth Baseball, more than 5,000 little leaguers in
uniform took part in a pregame parade around the warning track that
took about an hour.
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RECAPS
Boston 3
Tampa Bay 0
Cleveland 4
Baltimore 3
NY Yankees 16
Toronto 5
Detroit 5
Chi. White Sox 3
Kansas City 15
Minnesota 4
Texas 5
Seattle 4
Anaheim 6
Oakland 4
Florida 6
Atlanta 1
Montreal 5
NY Mets 2
Philadelphia 3
Chicago Cubs 1
Milwaukee 8
Cincinnati 4
Pittsburgh 9
Houston 3
San Diego 11
Colorado 3
St. Louis 9
Arizona 4
San Francisco 8
Los Angeles 3
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