Seattle Mariners left-hander Vidal Nuno on Wednesday threw seven shutout innings of one-hit ball, striking out a career-high 10 along the way, to beat the Texas Rangers 6-0 and earn his first win since June 27 last year.
After ending the long winless drought, Nuno did everything in his power to downplay his role in the game.
“A good win,” he told reporters after snapping an 11-decision losing streak, while winning for the first time in 21 starts and 45 appearances. “Everyone contributed.”
Photo: AFP
Manager Lloyd McClendon was a bit more enthusiastic.
“I was cheering in the dugout: ‘Nuno! Nuno!’” McClendon joked.
Nuno (1-2) walked two in his 106-pitch outing before Seattle relievers Danny Farquhar and Carson Smith each threw a perfect inning to complete the one-hitter.
Texas (73-65) later fell two games behind Houston in the American League West standings when the Astros beat Oakland 11-5, after the Rangers had started the day with a chance to earn a piece of first place for the first time since Aug. 11, but were derailed by the loss.
“[Nuno] had terrific movement and we couldn’t find the rhythm offensively,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said.
First baseman Mark Trumbo and third baseman Kyle Seager each hit two-run homers to provide most of the Mariners’ offensive damage. That duo combined for eight of Seattle’s nine hits.
“It was really cool,” Trumbo said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been a part of something like that. It was really neat.”
Texas starter Martin Perez had a tough outing, allowing five runs on seven hits over five innings. Trumbo and Seager combined for six of the seven hits Perez allowed.
“I think the story was Seager and Trumbo — [Perez] making a couple mistakes to both those guys,” Banister said. “Overall, I didn’t think he threw that badly.”
The win was Seattle’s first shutout victory since Aug. 28 and only the Mariners’ second since Hisashi Iwakuma’s Aug. 12 no-hitter.
Three of the Rangers’ past four losses were shutouts and designated hitter Prince Fielder had the Rangers’ only hit, a two-out single in the first.
Home runs by Trumbo and Seager helped the Mariners jump to a 5-0 lead.
Trumbo gave Seattle a three-run cushion with his 12th homer as a Mariner, a two-run shot in the third inning that went 408 feet.
Seager then added a two-run blast in the fifth to put the Mariners 5-0 ahead.
Designated hitter Jesus Montero had Seattle’s other RBI on a bases-loaded fielder’s choice in the first.
Nuno did the rest, although he was not in a boastful mood afterward, offering only: “I finally got that win.”
Teammate Seager was a bit more complimentary.
“It was awesome,” he said.
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