Hamels pitches Rangers past Mariners

SEATTLE — Cole Hamels threw seven strong innings and the Texas Rangers’ offense came alive to take another series from the Seattle Mariners with a 6-4 win on Sunday afternoon.

Texas first baseman Mitch Moreland hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning and center fielder Ian Desmond added a two-run single in the sixth as the Rangers (39-24) opened up a five-game lead atop the American League West. The last time Texas had a lead that wide in the division standings was in May 2013.

Hamels (6-1) held the Mariners to one run on four hits over seven innings. The Mariners rallied for three runs over the final two innings before the game ended with Seattle’s Robinson Cano getting thrown out at second base trying to stretch an RBI single to a double.

Texas has won seven of nine meetings with the Mariners (34-29) this season, taking all three series from them in the process. The AL West rivals don’t meet again until late August.

Desmond and shortstop Elvis Andrus each had two hits and a pair of RBIs for Texas. Former Ranger Leonys Martin hit his career-high 10th home run of the season for the Mariners.

The Mariners rallied in the eighth, after Hamels had come out of the game, with two runs off the Texas bullpen. Three consecutive singles loaded the bases with one out before Rangers reliever Jake Diekman came on for Tony Barnette and struck out the first batter he faced. Diekman lost his control from there, allowing two runs to score on a hit batter and a walk before getting out of the inning with a 6-3 lead.

New Texas closer Sam Dyson came on in the ninth and overcame a pair of hits to earn his 10th save of the season.

Seattle’s Ketel Marte doubled into the right-field corner with one out, then Cano hit the ball to a similar spot to score Marte with two outs. Cano got thrown out at second base by right fielder Nomar Mazara trying to turn the hit into a double, ending the game.

Moreland gave the Rangers a 3-0 lead with a two-run homer in the fourth. Moreland followed an RBI double from teammate Elvis Andrus with his ninth home run of the season, a 393-foot shot to left.

Seattle got a run back in the bottom of the fifth, when Martin hit a one-out solo homer. Martin fouled a ball off his right foot but was able to shake it off and get back in the batter’s box. Martin hit the next pitch into the right-field seats to pull Seattle within 3-1.

Seattle starter Wade Miley came out after five innings, then the Rangers tagged three more runs on the Mariners’ bullpen in the sixth to take a 6-1 lead. Seattle reliever Steve Johnson walked the first two batters he faced, then gave up an RBI single to Andrus before handing the ball over to left-hander Vidal Nuno.

Nuno got two outs, then Desmond singled with the bases loaded to bring in two more runs for a 6-1 lead.

Miley (6-3) allowed three runs off four hits over five innings to suffer his first loss since April 19. He’d gone 6-0 with three no-decisions over the nine starts since then.

In three starts against the Rangers this season, Miley is 0-2 with a 7.41 ERA.

NOTES: The Rangers have yet to name Monday’s starting pitcher to fill in for RHP Yu Darvish against Oakland. Texas announced Saturday night that Darvish would skip the start while team doctors re-evaluated his neck and shoulder soreness. LHP Cesar Ramos, a reliever, is an option to start Monday’s game at Oakland. … Seattle LF Norichika Aoki (bruised knee) was not in Sunday’s lineup. Aoki took a pitch off his right knee in the 11th inning of Saturday night’s contest. Manager Scott Servais said before Sunday’s game that he gave Aoki the day off to rest the sore knee. … Texas 3B Adrian Beltre (hamstring) was not in the lineup again Sunday. Manager Jeff Banister said before Sunday’s game that Beltre was “making progress,” but there was still no definitive timetable for his return. … Sunday’s contest marked the end of Seattle’s seven-game homestand. The Mariners have Monday off before opening a three-game road trip at Tampa Bay on Tuesday.