Mariners
6th inning rally sparks Texas

The Associated Press

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The Rangers (39-29) are 10 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 1999 season, when they last went to the playoffs.

Rich Aurilia homered and Jolbert Cabrera had three hits for the Mariners, who have lost six of eight games to the Rangers this season.

Texas trailed 2-1, but scored five runs in the sixth inning. Rod Barajas' RBI single gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead in an inning where they sent 10 batters to the plate and got five hits.

The big inning made Bierbrodt (1-0) a winner for the first time since Oct. 4, 2001, when he was pitching for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The former first-round draft pick allowed two runs and five hits in just his second big league start of the season.

Carlos Almanzar pitched two innings in relief of Bierbrodt, and Francisco Cordero worked the ninth for his 21st save in 23 opportunities.

Bierbrodt has had more than his share of adversity between wins.

In June 2002 while in the minors, he was shot twice at a drive-through restaurant. The bullets went through Bierbrodt's right arm and chest and settled in his liver. Both remain there.

He opened the 2003 season in the majors, but went 0-2 with a 9.14 ERA with Tampa Bay and Cleveland.

Bierbrodt began this season in the Rangers' farm system. He gave up three runs in six innings last Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds in his other 2004 major league start.

Seattle starter Ryan Franklin (3-5) gave up six runs in 5 1-3 innings. He allowed eight hits and struck out four.
 
Aurilia's solo shot in the sixth gave the Mariners a 2-1 lead. Then the Rangers loaded the bases off Franklin with no outs.

Gary Matthews' Jr. had a sacrifice fly to tie the score and Barajas blooped a single just over the infield for a 3-2 lead.

Jason Conti chased Franklin with an RBI bunt single. Hank Blalock and Alfonso Soriano had consecutive run-scoring singles off reliever Julio Mateo to give Texas a 6-2 lead.

Ichiro Suzuki had an RBI groundout in the seventh for Seattle.

The Mariners, last in the American League in runs, were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position Wednesday. They are 0-for-14 in the past two games.

Michael Young doubled to lead off the game and scored on Blalock's RBI single. But Seattle tied the game on Cabrera's RBI groundout.