Rangers Get Best of Mariner Bullpen

ARLINGTON, Texas — Lee Stevens hit Norm Charlton’s first pitch off the wall for a two-out, two-run double in the ninth inning as the Texas Rangers rallied for a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners Wednesday.

Charlton blew his 10th save of the season for the first-place Mariners, who are five games ahead of the Angels in the AL West. Seattle’s magic number stayed at six.

Ken Griffey Jr. failed to keep pace with Mark McGwire in the home run race but had two hits and an RBI for Seattle. McGwire hit his 53rd homer earlier Wednesday in St. Louis’ 12-9 victory over the Chicago Cubs. Griffey leads the AL with 52 homers.

Heathcliff Slocumb (0-9) gave up a leadoff single in the ninth to Tom Goodwin, who stole second before moving to third on Domingo Cedeno’s groundout. Rusty Greer struck out, but Juan Gonzalez drew a walk and Ivan Rodriguez singled to drive in Goodwin.

Charlton came in and gave up Stevens’ game-winning double off the wall in left-center.

Danny Patterson (10-6) pitched a perfect ninth to earn the victory.

Griffey went two for four, including a run-scoring double in the first that increased his major league-leading RBI total to 140. That matches his career high, set last season

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