That the Seattle Mariners' strength is their starting pitching shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.
But after a rocky second turn through the rotation, it's been even better than expected since.
The Mariners hope that trend continues when they open a three-game series against the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers on Tuesday night in Arlington, Texas. Seattle is a half-game back of the Rangers, who lead the American League West.
The Mariners had a streak of eight consecutive quality starts -- six or more innings pitched with three or fewer earned runs allowed -- snapped in the opening game of a doubleheader Sunday in Colorado.
That came in a game in which George Kirby pitched five scoreless innings before leaving with mild arm soreness.
"He didn't feel 100 percent but he gave us everything he had," Mariners manager Scott Servais said after a 2-1 loss in 10 innings snapped Seattle's four-game winning streak. "And he kept us right there."
Rookie Emerson Hancock started a new streak in the nightcap, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits over six innings of a 10-2 victory.
In the past 10 games, Seattle starters have a 1.44 ERA with nine walks and 64 strikeouts and have limited opponents to a .175 batting average.
"That's who we are," Servais said. "We have outstanding pitching."
The Mariners' slow-starting offense has also started to come around. Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh both had four-hit games Friday to raise their batting averages above .250, with Raleigh homering in three of the past four games to give him a team-leading five.
Leadoff hitter J.P. Crawford hit a bases-loaded triple Sunday that traveled 426 feet -- a shot that would have been out of every other ballpark in the majors except for Coors Field.
"That's just how baseball goes," Crawford said of the Game 1 loss Sunday. "Some days, you're going to get them all and some days, you're not going to get anything. We hung in there. Unfortunately, they got us at the end, but we answered back in the second game right out of the gate. Everybody did their thing."
The Rangers capped a 5-5 road trip with a 6-4 victory at Atlanta on Sunday night, with Andrew Knizner, Adolis Garcia and Evan Carter hitting home runs.
Carter's two hits pushed his batting average above .200.
"I don't think he's hit his stride," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said of the 21-year-old outfielder, who shined in the postseason last fall. "We saw how good he is but he's not quite there yet with his swing. Still, you look at getting on base doing things. He just needs to keep doing his thing and find that consistent swing that works for him."
In addition to his homer, Carter got the first regular-season hit of his career against a left-handed pitcher.
"That's what the big leagues is all about," Carter said. "It's just surviving the season and who can survive the longest. Who can come out in the end?
"I think tonight was a great team win, that's how I'm going to look at it. My goal is to come out and do whatever I can do that night, big or small, to help the team win."
The Mariners are scheduled to start Logan Gilbert (1-0, 2.33 ERA) in the series opener against fellow right-hander Dane Dunning (2-1, 3.91). Gilbert is 2-2 with a 2.88 ERA in 10 career starts against the Rangers, while Dunning is 3-2 with a 4.28 ERA in eight starts versus Seattle.
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