Blalock’s 2-run double rallies Rangers over Mariners

Blalock’s 2-run double lifts Rangers over M’s

ARLINGTON, Texas — Hank Blalock’s two-run double in the 11th inning rallied the Texas Rangers to a 6-5 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night.

Wladimir Balentien’s RBI double in the top of the 11th had given the Mariners a 5-4 lead.

In the bottom half, Michael Young led off with a single off Mariners closer Brandon Morrow (0-2). Josh Hamilton walked and one out later, Blalock’s line drive to right-center chased home both runners as teammates streamed out of the dugout in celebration.

C.J. Wilson (2-2) pitched two innings for the Rangers, who won for the ninth time in their last 11 games.

Adrian Beltre, Kenji Johjima and Russell Branyan homered for the Mariners, who have lost eight of their last nine.

Beltre and Johjima’s homers staked Seattle to a 3-0 lead before Chris Davis’ fourth-inning RBI single got the Rangers on the board, and Hamilton tied it at 3 with his two-run shot in the fifth.

Hamilton homered for the second time in as many nights after returning from a 13-game stint on the disabled list due to a pulled ribcage muscle.

Branyan’s two-out solo shot in the sixth in put Seattle back in front, but rookie Elvis Andrus’ two-out RBI triple in the sixth tied the game at 4.

He also came up with a spectacular defensive play with a runner on first and two out in the eighth, ranging behind second base to glove Franklin Gutierrez’s sharp ground ball and throwing out Gutierrez at first.

Mariners starter Jarrod Washburn allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings, striking out five and walking four.

Texas starter Brandon McCarthy left after seven innings, allowing four runs and five hits. He struck out seven and walked one.

In an effort to energize his lineup, Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu made two changes, giving Ronny Cedeno his third start of the season at shortstop in place of slumping Yuniesky Betancourt, and giving Balentien his 10th start in left field for Endy Chavez.

Seattle had scored two runs or fewer in five of its previous seven games and a total of 16 runs in that seven-game span. The Mariners entered the game with a team batting average of .256, third from the bottom in the AL.

Rangers closer Frank Francisco remained sidelined and won’t be available until at least Friday due to biceps tendinitis.