Rangers 5, Mariners 0

[April 16, 2014]  ARLINGTON, Texas — Rangers 5, Mariners 0: Robbie Ross pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings in his third major-league start and Kevin Kouzmanoff went 3-for-4 with three RBIs as host Texas blanked Seattle.

Prince Fielder and Kouzmanoff hit back-to-back homers in the second inning in support of Ross (1-0). The left-hander gave up five hits without issuing a walk and struck out two.

Fielder hadn’t homered in his first 13 games — 51 at-bats — with the Rangers after being acquired from the Detroit Tigers in the offseason. That changed when he led off the second inning by hammering a 1-1 pitch off Blake Beavan (0-1) well over the center-field fence.

Two pitches later, Kouzmanoff slammed his homer to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead. Kouzmanoff, a recent call-up to play third base in place of the injured Adrian Beltre, ripped a two-run double to deep left-center field in the eighth to make it a four-run margin and scored on a single by Mitch Moreland.

Ross hit Brad Miller with a pitch with one out in the eighth and retired Robinson Cano on a fly to center before being removed by manager Ron Washington. Alexi Ogando allowed a hit by Corey Hart before retiring pinch hitter Dustin Ackley on a fly to left and Neal Cotts worked the ninth.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Seattle OF Logan Morrison (hamstring) is day-to-day with a hamstring injury that forced him to leave Monday’s series opener in the first inning. … The Rangers had scored two or fewer runs in four of five games and were on the verge of adding to the total prior to the three-run eighth. … Seattle optioned LHP Lucas Luetge to Triple-A Tacoma to clear a roster spot for Beavan, who allowed two runs and six hits in four innings.

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