Rangers’ postseason hopes take hit with loss

Time is starting to run out in the AL wild-card race.

The Seattle Mariners got a bit of a boost with the return of Felix Hernandez in a 10-4 victory over the Texas Rangers on Thursday night that extended a three-game win streak.

“After losing the first game of the series here, kind of regrouping, understanding where we were at was important,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “I thought our urgency, our intensity level was right on point the last three nights.”

Nelson Cruz went 4 for 4 with a home run and Kyle Seager hit a two-run homer as Seattle remained 31/2 games behind Minnesota for the second AL wild card with 15 games remaining.

“It’s exciting to see everybody, not only with the patience that we go up there and battle,” Cruz said. “It’s nice to see everybody on the same page.”

Texas entered the game onehalf game behind Seattle in the wild-card race and fielded a surprise lineup looking for a spark from injured veterans Adrian Beltre and Mike Napoli.

One night after making an unexpected appearance as a pinch hitter, Beltre was batting fourth as the designated hitter. This was just two weeks after sustaining a Grade 2 strain in his hamstring and he was expected to miss at least four weeks, likely the remainder of the season.

Beltre, who joined the 3,000hit club this season, went 1 for 3 with a single and was replaced by a pinch runner in the seventh inning.

Napoli has a stress reaction in his lower rightleg and is playing through pain. General manager Jon Daniels said Texas would have to manage his playing time, but Napoli was in the lineup at first base Thursday. He went 0 for 2.

Texas departs on nine-game trip with its season on the line.

“We’ve been punched in the mouth,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “We’re not out. We’re going to play to the end.”

Hernandez made his first start since being put on the disabled list with right shoulder bursitis on Aug. 5. He was on a pitch count and threw 54 pitches, allowing three hits and striking out three in 3⅔ innings.

“It was go o d, man. It was fun,” he said. “Didn’t try to do too much, trying to get through 50 pitches, out there as long as I can.”