ARLINGTON, Texas, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- Todd Greene's leadoff homer in the bottom of the ninth Wednesday night gave the Texas Rangers a 4-3 victory over the stumbling Seattle Mariners.
Texas did not go deep in Tuesday night's 3-2 victory, snapping their major league record of 27 consecutive games with at least one homer. But former Mariner Alex Rodriguez and rookie Hank Blalock connected before Greene lifted a 2-2 delivery from reliever Arthur Rhodes (8-4) over the left field fence for his seventh homer of the season.
The Mariners have lost the first three games of this four-game series as they continue to lose ground in their pursuit of a playoff berth. Seattle is 5 1/2 games behind wild card leader Anaheim.
Seattle had a golden opportunity to snap the 3-3 tie in the top of the ninth. Bret Boone led off with a double off Francisco Cordero (2-0) before former Ranger Ruben Sierra struck out.
Carlos Guillen lifted a fly ball to deep left field that banged off the fence for a double, but Boone only was able to get to third as left fielder Todd Hollandsworth deked him by camping under it as if it was a routine fly.
The Mariners still had a chance to push across the go-ahead run when Jose Offerman hit for Dan Wilson. Offerman worked the count full before missing an apparent bunt attempt and Boone was caught halfway down the line and tagged out by third baseman Blalock.
