Mariners @ Rangers : 4 - 6

Brad Wilkerson thought he had a sacrifice fly. But the ball kept carrying with the help of wind blowing out to right field. All of a sudden, Wilkerson had a lot more than an RBI. Wilkerson's fourth career grand slam highlighted a six-run third inning and the Rangers beat Seattle 6-4 on Tuesday night, the Mariners' season-high sixth straight loss. Seattle had taken a 3-0 lead against Rangers starter Kevin Millwood before Texas sent 11 hitters to the plate against Gil Meche (4-4) in a third inning that included a two-run homer by Michael Young. The Rangers needed the big inning to overcome an otherwise sloppy effort that included four errors, two wild pitches and a passed ball.

Seattle Mariners center fielder Jeremy Reed can't catch a ball hit by Texas Rangers' Michael Young during the first inning of their baseball game Tuesday, May 30, 2006, in Arlington, Texas. Young reached second with a douuble.

Millwood (6-3) allowed four runs and nine hits over six innings. He threw 116 pitches, striking out four and walking one. In his seven home starts this season, Millwood is 2-3 with a 7.23 ERA. He is 4-0 with a 2.31 ERA in five road starts. Akinori Otsuka got three outs for his ninth save in 10 chances for the Rangers, who won for the fifth time in six games.

Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki led off the first with a single. He scored from third on Gerald Laird's passed ball, and Carl Everett then added an RBI single. The Mariners made it 3-0 in the third with the help of a bizarre play. Willie Bloomquist doubled with one out, and with Everett batting, Bloomquist moved to third on a wild pitch by Millwood. The ball kicked into foul territory to the right of the batter's box where Laird retrieved it. Laird's throw to third glanced off the top of the bat of Everett, who had remained in the batter's box, and the ball sailed wildly into left field for an error as Bloomquist scored.

The Rangers pulled within 3-2 in the third when Ian Kinsler doubled and Young hit his third homer. Texas loaded the bases on singles by Mark Teixeira and Hank Blalock and a walk to Mark DeRosa. Wilkerson followed with his towering drive just over the right field wall for his 10th homer of the season and a 6-3 lead.

Meche allowed six runs and nine hits in 5 1-3 innings. He struck out four and walked five. Of all of his 114 pitches, the one Meche regretted the most was the changeup to Wilkerson with the bases loaded. Seattle made it 6-4 in the sixth when Everett scored from second on second baseman Kinsler's two-out throwing error. Suzuki led off the ninth with a single, went to second on a groundout, and Otsuka walked Bloomquist. But Everett struck out to end the game. The Mariners are 8-17 on the road, having lost 12 of their last 14.