Mariners lose to Rangers, fall 5 games back in A.L. West

SEATTLE - Cole Hamels became the seventh active pitcher to reach 2,000 strikeouts and Mitch Moreland homered to lead the Texas Rangers to a 6-4 win against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.

The AL West-leading Rangers took two out of three games in the series against second-place Seattle to open up a season-high five-game division lead. The Rangers have won seven straight series and 12 of their last 15 games.

Hamels (6-1) picked up strikeout No. 2,000 in the third inning when he got Leonys Martin swinging. It was one of five strikeouts for Hamels, who allowed one run on four hits in seven innings.

Hamels has now lasted seven innings in each of his last three starts, although he ended up with no-decisions in the previous two. Hamels has won nine straight decisions against AL West opponents, and has won four straight against Seattle.