ARLINGTON, Texas — Jordan Montgomery pitched seven scoreless innings, star catcher Jonah Heim drove in a run and the American League West-leading Texas Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners 2-0 on Saturday.
The Rangers (86-68) won their fourth straight game, including the first two games of this crucial series in which the two division rivals are tied in the battle for the third and final wild-card spot in the American League playoffs. Texas took the lead in the unseeded East division in September, thanks to a win in the first game of the series the night before and a loss to Houston.
Montgomery (10-11), a left-hander acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals just before the trade deadline, struck out six and picked up a pair in a five-hit effort. He is 4-2 in his 10 starts for Texas.
Dominican Jose Leclerc and Cuban Aroldis Chapman completed the 17th shutout achieved by the Rangers on the campaign.
Leclerc pitched the eighth and allowed one out in the ninth, while Chapman recorded his sixth save in 11 chances, though he did issue a walk.
The Mariners (84-70) were just below the third wild-card spot.
For the Mariners, Dominicans Julio Rodriguez 4-1, Teoscar Hernandez 3-1. Venezuela’s Eugenio Suarez 4-0, Luis Torrance 1-0. Panamanian Jose Caballero 3-0.
For the Rangers, Cuban Adolis Garcia went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Dominican Lodi Taveras 2-0.