SEATTLE — Texas slugger Adrian Beltre had a home run and five RBIs and Derek Holland shut down the Seattle bats, as the Rangers hammered the Mariners 8-0 on Tuesday night.
Beltre’s three-run homer in the third inning gave Texas (5-4) a 5-0 lead, then he added a two-run double in the seventh to put the Rangers ahead 8-0.
Holland (1-0) made another successful start in his return from two injury-plagued seasons, allowing four hits over 6 2/3 shutout innings. Five of Holland’s 17 starts since 2014 have come against the Mariners.
The Rangers tagged Seattle starter Wade Miley (0-1) for six runs off 10 hits over six innings. The Mariners (2-6) lost five consecutive games and have yet to win a game at home.
Beltre went 2-for-4 with the five RBIs — two more than his total through the first eight games — while shortstop Elvis Andrus, catcher Bryan Holaday and designated hitter Prince Fielder also drove in runs for the Rangers.
Texas has now won four of its past five games. The Rangers had 12 hits Tuesday and have outscored Seattle 15-3 during the first two games of the three-game series.
Beltre’s second home run of the season capped off the five-run third
Texas opened up the third inning with four consecutive singles on the way to a 2-0 lead. Holaday drove in the first run of the game when his single to left scored Andrus from second base. Three batters later, Fielder drove in his 10th run of the season with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to center.
Along the way, Seattle starter Wade Miley suffered a minor injury when catcher Chris Iannetta stepped on his left ankle as they both reached for a Delino DeShields bunt. Miley limped away and got a visit from team trainers but was able to stay in the game.
The next batter, Beltre, drilled a 2-2 pitch over the left-field fence to extend the lead to 5-0.
Miley got out of a fourth-inning jam when he struck out back-to-back batters to strand runners on second and third.
Rangers rookie right fielder Nomar Mazara continued to add to his highlight reel with a first-inning single and a pair of stellar defensive plays. Mazara, playing in his third major league game, stole extra-base hits from Iannetta and Seattle centerfielder Leonys Martin with a pair of nice catches. Mazara made a diving catch near the foul line to rob Iannetta of a hit in the second inning, then he ran down Martin’s towering shot at the warning track in right-center field in the third.
NOTES: Mariners starter Wade Miley was making his home debut with Seattle on Tuesday. … Texas CF Delino DeShields was back in the lineup Tuesday after being given the previous night off. DeShields is the Rangers’ primary leadoff hitter but has struggled this season, as evidenced by his .143 batting average heading into Tuesday. … None of Seattle’s five starting pitchers have a win this season. … The three-game series wraps up Wednesday afternoon. Seattle has Thursday off before beginning a nine-game road trip on Friday in New York. Texas begins a four-game home series with Baltimore on Thursday.