11-10 – Regrettably, Rangers won’t go undefeated against Mariners

Apr 18, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (17), right, catcher Kyle Higashioka (11) and pitching coach Jordan Tiegs meet at the mound during the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images The Texas Rangers scored three runs but the Seattle Mariners scored seven runs. Faced with having to score runs off of George Kirby at T-Mobile Park, a near impossibility, manager Skip Schumaker brought in the infield on the first two opportunities that Seattle had with a runner 90 feet from home, and both times the Mariners shot one through the drawn in infield to score the game’s first three runs.

Both runners reached third base and eventually scored due in part to some shoddy infield defense with Seattle scoring their first run in the bottom of the first after J. P. Crawford doubled off Texas starter Nathan Eovaldi to lead off the game on a shot down the line that first baseman Jake Burger couldn’t field despite appearing to be within stabbing distance.

In the fourth, with a runner on first, second baseman Ezequiel Duran fielded a ball and tried to double off the runner but instead threw the ball into left field which gave the M’s two runners in scoring position and both would score on a single up the middle on the drawn in infield. The Rangers couldn’t really afford unmade plays or miscues since they were facing Kirby who had gone just about a quarter of a full season’s worth of innings having allowed just one earned run total against the Rangers at T-Mobile Park. Texas did have a few more chances than usual against Kirby but they squander those on the regular against mortal arms, much less the one pitcher designed in a lab especially to beat them.

Overall, they went 1-for-8 with RISP and left an astonishing 16 on base with the one success coming with two outs in the ninth. The Rangers somehow turned 11 hits and eight walks into just three runs with two of those coming in the ninth in what was then a 7-1 game. The loss means the Rangers will need to win tomorrow to claim the series and avoid finishing with a losing road trip.