M's turn tables in 12th, take afternoon victory

ARLINGTON, Texas — A season fading fast on the Mariners took an unusual and positive twist in the latter stages of this series finale.

The Mariners seemed en route to yet another defeat and series sweep at the hands of the Texas Rangers on Wednesday afternoon when they staged a seventh-inning rally, then hung on long enough to force the game to extra innings. That's where manager John McLaren, his bench all but depleted and bullpen used up, got contributions from two of the more unlikely players to salvage a win.

Seldom-used Miguel Cairo, who started the game at first base, came through with the go-ahead single in the 12th inning and set the stage for starting pitcher Jarrod Washburn to come in and finish things off. Washburn retired the side in the bottom of the frame, allowing just a two-out walk, to preserve a 4-3 victory his team desperately needed.

"The adrenaline and stuff is a lot different," Washburn said of working in relief for the first save of his career. "The rush you get from just being out there."

Washburn was due to start on Saturday against San Diego but the Mariners had pushed that off earlier in the week. Several Seattle pitchers would have faced the prospect of working on seven days' rest, given the way off-days fall in the schedule, which prompted the team to move Washburn's start back to next week.

He'd worked in the bullpen the last couple of days and wasn't surprised to get the call. Mariners closer J.J. Putz had already worked two innings, and the team wasn't about to push him to a third.

"Whatever works, as long as we get the win," Washburn said. "We needed a win."

The Mariners had lost 12 of 14 and owned the worst record in the majors heading into this game, played before 22,934 fans at The Ballpark. They knew they needed to come out with something positive before their season slipped into oblivion.

Cairo was hardly used the first five weeks of the season, but has received more playing time since Richie Sexson received a five-game suspension on Friday. Cairo helped turn a key 3-6-4 double play on a Chris Shelton bunt attempt in the ninth inning to keep the score tied.

"I always take pride in my defense," Cairo said. "That was a big play for us."

An even bigger play came in the 12th inning, with two out and Wladimir Balentien on base. Cairo drove a pitch from Rangers reliever Franklyn German up the middle to put Seattle ahead for good.

"It was nice to get a break," said Cairo, who is hitting .188 after going 2 for 6 Wednesday. "We needed a break."

Seattle opened this series by scoring 12 runs in a loss on Monday night. But over the next two games, the club scored a combined total of only five runs before that 12th inning.

The lack of offensive production forced McLaren to tie a club record by using eight pitchers in this game. McLaren has done all he can to stimulate some offense on a club that has scored four runs or fewer in seven of the past nine games.

McLaren inserted Jeff Clement as the catcher on Wednesday, hoping some time playing a position might stimulate a bat that had been held to just a .150 average his first two weeks up with the club. Hot-hitting Kenji Johjima was kept in as the designated hitter and the moves paid off.

Back-to-back doubles by Frank Catalanotto and Michael Young and another by David Murphy, all off Mariners starter Carlos Silva in the first inning, had given the Rangers a 2-0 lead.

Johjima then barely missed a home run off Texas starter Scott Feldman in the third inning, driving a ball off the left-field wall. But three consecutive ground outs kept Johjima from scoring and began the list of missed opportunities.

Jose Lopez, also riding a hot bat since being moved to the No. 5 spot in the order, doubled home Raul Ibanez in the fourth inning.

The game remained 2-1 until the seventh when Lopez reached base on a throwing error. Clement sent a screaming drive to center that seemed to freeze outfielder Josh Hamilton as it sailed over his head.

By the time Hamilton got the ball back in, Clement was standing on third base and the game was tied. Yuniesky Betancourt then doubled off Feldman to put the Mariners ahead 3-2.

But the Rangers tied it with a run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Hamilton. When the Rangers got the lead batter on in the ninth, it seemed defeat was once again prepared to steal Seattle's spotlight.

Until Cairo turned the double play and things fell into place.

"This is a big win," McLaren said. "I can't underestimate it. We just needed to get something on the board from the positive side."

And a whole lot more to follow if this victory is to mean anything.

Geoff Baker: 206-464-8286 or gbaker@seattletimes.com

For the record

Streak: L2

Home: 9-12

Road: 7-14

vs. AL West: 10-11

vs. L.A.: 3-3

vs. Oakland: 3-2

vs. Texas: 4-6

vs. AL East: 3-10

vs. AL Central: 3-5

vs. NL: 0-0

vs. LHP: 2-8

vs. RHP: 14-18

Day: 5-7

Night: 11-19

One-run: 2-9

Extra innings: 1-2