Young lifts Rangers past M's with ninth-inning RBI

SEATTLE (AP) -- Adam Eaton has started just 10 games in his injury-riddled season for Texas but he's still quite aware and appreciative of what shortstop Michael Young has done all year for the Rangers.

Young had three hits and drove in two, including the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, to help the Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2 on Sunday, ending their three-game losing streak. Young also was involved in all four of the double plays turned, three of them behind Eaton.

"He was just being Michael Young," said Eaton, who allowed two runs and eight hits in his six innings of a no-decision. "He had all kinds of defensive help for me today. There's a reason why he was the All-Star MVP and why he's been our MVP the full year."

Young, who leads the majors with 193 hits, is seven away from his fourth straight 200-hit season. The sixth-year shortstop, who won the league batting title last season, is hitting .313.

"Mikey had a great day, offensively and defensively," manager Buck Showalter said. "Nobody takes for granted what he does. He had three or four above-average plays at shortstop today."

Young, for his part, said his regret is that club has not had Eaton healthy and available all season. Eaton, acquired in a trade with San Diego during the off-season, missed much of a season after undergoing finger surgery. He returned July 25.

"We know what Adam is capable of doing. He's had a great career," Young said. "We certainly missed him over the first half. Hopefully, he can come back healthy next year and be a big part of our rotation."

Showalter added that Eaton has pitched well enough since his return "that we understand what we lost. He's a strike-thrower. He keeps us in the ball game. You can see why he was coveted."

Eaton was sharp for the first five innings, but struggled in the sixth. Ichiro Suzuki led off with a double, moved to third on Chris Snelling's bunt and scored on Yuniesky Betancourt's RBI single to tie the game at 1-1.

The Mariners continued to threaten after Ibanez's single moved Betancourt to third with one out. But Richie Sexson bounced into a 6-4-3 double play.

"That was huge there in the sixth," Eaton said of the double play, started by Young. "I just wish I could have left after seven with the lead instead of being tied up."

Young put the Rangers ahead again 2-1 in the seventh with a double into the left-field corner that scored Matthews all the way from first. But Ben Broussard, who came to Seattle July 26 in a trade with Cleveland, responded with a solo shot off Eaton in the seventh, his career-high 20th home run. Broussard, whose home run attempt barely drifted foul in his previous at-bat, hit the foul pole for his seventh home run for the Mariners.

"The 20-club. I like it. I've always been hovering around it so it's nice to finally get there," Broussard said. "I tried to keep it simple. He [Eaton] was pitching well today. I was just aggressive and it worked out."

In the ninth after one out, reliever Jon Huber (1-1) walked Gerald Laird then Gary Matthews Jr. singled to left. Both moved up on a passed ball by catcher Rene Rivera. Then on a 0-2 pitch from Huber, Young reached out to poke the ball through the left side. The Rangers added another run when Matthews scored on a double-play rundown.

"It's tough in that situation, especially against a guy I don't know. I was in survival mode, just trying to make some contact," Young said. "I'm not in position to take my best hacks there. The ball was up in the zone. The infield was in. Anything can happen there. I hit it off the end of my bat and it squeezed through the infield."

C.J. Wilson (2-2) picked up the victory for the Rangers. Akinori Otsuka worked the ninth for his 32nd save in 35 chances. Otsuka didn't expect to even be used as he stayed up all night with a severe headache. He struggled, allowing a pair of one-out singles, but the game ended on the Rangers' fourth double play turned - with Young providing the relay assist to first.

The loss ended the Mariners four-game win streak

Game notes
Right-hander Francisco Cruceta made his first big-league appearance since Sept. 26, 2004 when he was with Cleveland. He took over for Hernandez with two outs in the sixth. It was his third Major League outing. ... Betancourt's RBI single in the sixth extended his hitting streak to 10 games.