After back-to-back losses to the Mariners, the pressure was certainly mounting for the Rangers who were a single win away from clinching a spot in the postseason. After seven years of waiting, the Texas Rangers are headed back to the playoffs.
It’s the ninth postseason appearance for the Rangers, but after reaching the playoffs five times between 2010-16, it’s been a rough stretch.
But Texas made Castillo work from the outset, eliminating any momentum that might have carried over from the prior two nights.
Castillo (14-9) was pulled after 2 2/3 innings, the shortest start in his 1½ seasons with the Mariners and tied for the second-shortest start of his career. The right-hander had pitched at least five innings in his previous 32 starts this season but nibbled too much on the edges and found himself in trouble.
Castillo needed 86 pitches to record eight outs. He went to 3-2 counts to seven of the 18 batters he faced and his five walks were one off his season high.
In his final two starts of the regular season, Castillo allowed nine earned runs in 8 2/3 innings.
Heaney made a spot start after the Rangers placed Jon Gray on the 15-day injured list on Friday with a forearm strain. It was his first start since Sept. 4.
Heaney was in control until he got in trouble in the fifth inning.
The Mariners loaded the bases with one out on singles by Ty France, Sam Haggerty and J.P. Crawford. Heaney was lifted and Josh Sborz (6-7) got Texas out of the jam by retiring Julio Rodríguez and Eugenio Suárez.
Rodríguez was hitless in four at-bats and is 1 for 21 on Seattle’s final homestand.
Suárez hit his 22nd homer in the eighth inning for Seattle’s only run.
Texas has not announced a starter for Sunday’s finale.
