Major League Baseball

Mariners 4, Rangers 0

Published Sep. 17, 2011 6:50 a.m. ET

foxsports

A wacky bounce, a curveball in the dirt and a costly error that all led to runs weren't the oddities for the Texas Rangers.

Nope. The strangest part of Friday night was a Rangers offense that had scored 54 runs in the previous six games getting shutout - and by a former Rangers prospect.

Blake Beavan shutdown the Rangers for eight innings, Texas second baseman Ian Kinsler made a costly throwing error that led to three Seattle runs and the Mariners beat the Rangers 4-0.

Texas missed an opportunity to pick up a game on the Angels after they were handed an 8-3 defeat in Baltimore. Instead, Texas' lead in the AL West remained at 3 1/2 games.

''We were swinging at strikes, (but) couldn't put the ball in play. You have to give (Beavan) credit,'' Rangers manager Ron Washington said. ''... The guy has an idea of what he's doing. He threw a good game tonight. Don't take anything away from him.''

Beavan (5-5) was brilliant in the finest performance of his young career. Mixing a new curve ball with a well placed fastball, Beavan kept the Rangers bats guessing most of the night.

Texas didn't get its first hit until the third inning and only once got a runner into scoring position. Beavan got 11 fly ball outs taking advantage of Seattle's vast outfield and a cool night, and stymied an offense that had torn through Oakland and Cleveland during the previous week.

''I wanted to go out there and shut them down and that's what I tried to do,'' Beavan said. ''I had a different attitude out there, but calm.''

The only time Texas threatened came in the sixth with consecutive singles by Endy Chavez and Kinsler. After failing to get a sacrifice bunt laid down, Elvis Andrus then hit into a 6-4-3 double play nicely turned by Brendan Ryan and Dustin Ackley. Beavan jammed Josh Hamilton into popping up to end the inning.

Beavan, who was part of the trade that sent Cliff Lee to Texas in July 2010, gave up just four hits, struck out three and walked none. He said he got texts earlier in the day Friday from friends asking him to go easy on the Rangers.

''He was right in on everybody,'' Andrus said. ''He came to you throwing first pitches for strikes and it's hard when you face somebody not throwing many balls.''

The lack of offense didn't help starter C.J. Wilson (16-7), who gave up just one earned run and struck out eight.

Adrian Beltre also saw his 19-game hitting streak end after two fly outs and a strikeout.

Kinsler's error was his 11th of the season and came with two outs in the third as he charged a slow chopper from Ackley. Kinsler fielded it cleanly and had time as Ackley raced up the line, but Kinsler's throw sailed wide of Mitch Moreland and allowed Casper Wells to score from second. Wells had walked leading off the third on a check-swing 3-2 pitch that Wilson thought Wells had gone around on.

''He just happened to be the guy who was the nexus of all evil tonight,'' Wilson said of Wells. ''The number nine hitter tonight, that was the guy.''

Kinsler's poor throw was the beginning of an odd sequence.

The next batter, Miguel Olivo, then saw Wilson dump a curveball at his feet and bounce past catcher Yorvit Torrealba allowing Ryan to score. Olivo later singled to keep the inning going.

Then it was Mike Carp's turn for some wackiness. Wilson got Carp to his a grounder back up the middle and shortstop Andrus was in perfect position to make the play. The ball never got to him as it hit second base and caromed the opposite way Andrus was moving.

''It was like the Titanic. Not to make light of tragic situations but it got to the point there wasn't anything anybody could do,'' Wilson said. ''It seemed like everything we tried, whether it was getting grounders or what, it went the wrong way.''

Wilson ended up throwing 18 extra pitches in the inning and was eventually done after 6 1-3 innings and giving up Wells' solo homer. Wilson had won six of his previous seven starts, and only one of the four runs Seattle scored were earned. He struck out eight and his ERA for September was lowered to 0.92.

NOTES: Texas OF Nelson Cruz expected to return to the Rangers lineup as the DH on Saturday. Cruz has been recovering from a left hamstring strain. ... Seattle unveiled the first statue in franchise history on Friday honoring late broadcaster Dave Niehaus. The statue sits on the concourse in right-center field and honor Niehaus' 34 years as the Mariners lead announcer. Niehaus died of a heart attack last November. ... Young LHP Anthony Vasquez makes his fifth start for Seattle on Saturday. The 24-year-old took a loss in his last start despite giving up just two runs in six innings. ... Texas RHP Colby Lewis starts Saturday for the first time since Sept. 9. Was given few extra days of rest after last start - a win over Oakland.