ARLINGTON, Texas — Kendrys Morales hit two of Seattle’s four homers and the Mariners beat Texas 7-5 Friday night, handing the Rangers their seventh straight loss only hours after manager Ron Washington resigned unexpectedly.
Interim manager Tim Bogar took the familiar seat along the railing of the home dugout long occupied by Washington, who said in a statement that he was stepping down to devote all his time to an “off-the-field personal matter.” The Rangers wouldn’t elaborate.
Morales went deep to right field against Scott Baker (3-4) to put the Mariners ahead 2-0 in the second inning. His sixth homer of the season was another two-run shot in the sixth.
Mike Zunino became the first Seattle catcher with 20 homers, and Brad Miller hit his 10th.
Hisashi Iwakuma (14-6) matched Felix Hernandez for the team lead in wins.
Washington stunned his players in a team meeting earlier Friday, walking away before the end of his eighth season a day after the Rangers became the first team in the majors mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Only three years ago, Washington took Texas to consecutive World Series.
It was the debut as a big league manager for Bogar, who was in his first season as Washington’s bench coach. He was a minor league manager for five seasons.
The Mariners, who are in a tight race with Oakland and Detroit atop the AL wild-card standings, won their fourth straight after losing five of their previous seven games.
Iwakuma won his fifth decision in a row, allowing three runs with five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Fernando Rodney gave up a run in the ninth but finished for his 42nd save in 45 chances.
The Rangers loaded the bases with nobody out in the fifth against the Japanese right-hander, who got Elvis Andrus on a double-play grounder that scored a run and escaped the inning with another groundout to second from Tomas Telis.
Zunino’s solo homer in the fifth broke the Seattle record for homers by a catcher set by Miguel Olivo in 2011.
TRAINERS ROOM
Mariners: RF Endy Chavez left in the fifth inning after getting cut above his left eye sliding headfirst into second base on a successful steal. His helmet appeared to cause the cut when it came off just as his head collided with the left knee of Texas SS Luis Sardinas. Chavez, who got three stitches, was not diagnosed with a concussion and was expected to be available Saturday.
Rangers: RF Alex Rios has an infection associated with the bruise on his right thumb and will be out at least a week. … There was no update from team doctors on the latest exam of Yu Darvish’s right elbow.
UP NEXT
Mariners RHP Chris Young, a Dallas native who had his major league debut with the Rangers nine years ago, makes his second start of the season in Texas’ home park. He’s coming off the shortest start of his career after allowing five runs in two-thirds of an inning in a 6-1 loss to Oakland.
Rangers RHP Nick Martinez faces Seattle for the second time in three starts. He gave up five runs with four walks and no strikeouts in five innings of a 5-0 loss on Aug. 26.
