Recap: Texas vs. Seattle

By Sports Network

Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - Dustin Nippert was stellar on the hill and Milton Bradley drove in the game's lone run, as the Texas Rangers edged the Seattle Mariners, 1-0, in the rubber match of a three-game set.

Nippert (2-4) surrendered just seven hits over seven frames while fanning four batters to take the win. Frank Francisco worked a scoreless ninth to pick up his fourth save. Josh Hamilton went 3-for-4 and Michael Young scored the run for the Rangers, who have won three of four.

Felix Hernandez (9-9) was the hard-luck loser, as he yielded a run on seven hits through 7 1/3 frames while fanning three and walking one. Jose Lopez and Raul Ibanez had a double each, the only two extra-base hits for the Mariners, who have dropped two straight following a four-game win streak.

Texas took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Young clubbed a one-out single and Hamilton followed with a double to the gap in right, before Bradley offered a sacrifice fly to left.

The M's threatened in the fourth inning. Adrian Beltre and Ibanez connected on back-to-back one-out singles before Lopez grounded out to move both runners into scoring position. Bryan LaHair, though, killed the rally as he flied out to Hamilton in center.

Seattle was knocking on the door in the seventh inning as well. Yuniesky Betancourt led off with a single and moved to second on Rob Johnson's sac bunt. Luis Valbuena and Ichiro Suzuki were both retired to end the threat.

With one gone in the ninth, Betancourt looked like he tied the game with a long fly ball to left off Francisco. However, Marlon Byrd timed his leap perfectly and robbed Betancourt for the second out. Pinch-hitter Jeff Clement popped out in foul territory to seal the deal.