AL WEST Rangers' pitching cures Seattle's bats
Texas has the worst ERA in the majors at 6.09.
SEATTLE (AP) -- There's nothing like the Texas Rangers' pitching staff to perk up an offense.
Mike Cameron, Ichiro Suzuki and Bret Boone homered in a six-run fourth inning as the Seattle Mariners beat the Rangers 11-5 on Friday night.
The Mariners were shut out by Oakland's Mark Mulder and two relievers 3-0 on Thursday night after beating the Athletics' Barry Zito, last year's AL Cy Young Award winner.
Texas has the worst ERA in the majors at 6.09, and the Rangers have allowed 10 or more runs 22 times this season.
"Regardless of who we've played or what their tendencies have been in the past, it seems we have brought in the best in teams offensively," Rangers manager Buck Showalter said.
Robert Ellis (0-1) became the Rangers' 14th starting pitcher this season.
"I'll tell you what, back-to-back, Zito and Mulder were really tough," Boone said. "I think it was good to break out with the bats tonight."
Strong offense
Boone drove in four runs with a pair of two-run homers for the AL West-leading Mariners, who hit four homers in a game for the second time this season.
Boone has 27 home runs, tied for third in the AL behind Carlos Delgado's 29 and Jason Giambi's 28.
He'd like to win his first home-run title, but the second baseman knows he's undersized compared to Delgado and Giambi. His career high is 37 homers for the Mariners in 2001.
"I've never hit 40 home runs," Boone said. "The guys who are out there have hit 40 home runs."
Suzuki, who has a career-best 10 homers this season, and Cameron each drove in three runs.
"It was good to see us hit some home runs and score some runs," Seattle manager Bob Melvin said.
Texas' Rafael Palmeiro hit his 512th career homer to move past Mel Ott into a tie for 14th place on the all-time list with Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews. Next up are Ted Williams and Willie McCovey at 521.
All-Star Jamie Moyer (13-5) won his third straight decision after losing three consecutive starts. Rafael Soriano pitched four scoreless innings for Seattle and got his first save of the season, his second career save.
"Jamie might not have had his best stuff today, but he's pitched so many big games for us when it's been close," Melvin said. "It's good to get him a game like this."
Moyer's mind might have been on other things. His wife, Karen, who is the daughter of former Notre Dame basketball coach Digger Phelps, will deliver the couple's fifth child and third son next week, probably Monday.
"We're getting close," Moyer said. "We'll see how things go tomorrow."
Pulling ahead
Trailing 3-2, the Mariners sent nine to the plate in the fourth against Ellis. Cameron tied it with a 415-foot shot, Suzuki hit a three-run homer and Boone hit his first two-run homer.
Palmeiro hit a two-run homer off Moyer in the third, his 22nd homer of the season and 43rd of his career against Seattle.
Shane Spencer, playing in his fifth game with Texas since being acquired in a trade with Cleveland last week, had three RBIs, including a two-run double in the fifth.
Moyer, who made his first All-Star game this season at 40, pitched five innings and gave up five runs on eight hits and two walks, with three strikeouts.
Ellis went four innings and one batter, allowing eight runs on seven hits and three walks.
"It would be nice to get some quality starts in a row and see if we could get our bullpen some rest," Showalter said. "I'm sure Seattle spends a lot of time looking for ways to get their guys some work."
Texas starters have the worst ERA in the majors at 6.78, allowing 91 homers. The starters are 27-45 record.
Notes
The Rangers said they will recall RHP Colby Lewis, who has a 4-5 record and an 8.66 ERA with them this season, from Triple-A Oklahoma to start against the Mariners on Saturday night.
Boone, fourth in the league with 82 RBIs, had his 19th career multihomer game.
Palmeiro's 43 homers are the most by one player against the Mariners, but Palmeiro has 46 against the Anaheim Angels. Palmeiro's 12 homers at Safeco Field are the most by an opposing player. He hit nine homers in the Kingdome. Palmeiro homered for the fourth time in his career against Moyer.
Rodriguez stole his ninth base of the season.
Cameron played in his 1,000th career game.
The Mariners never have lost a series to Texas at Safeco.