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  Tuesday, Sep. 26 10:05pm ET
Sele shuts out Texas on six-hitter
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

SEATTLE (AP) -- Aaron Sele is leading the Seattle Mariners when they need him most.

Sele pitched a six-hitter to win his fourth straight September start, and the Mariners held on to first place in the AL West by beating the Texas Rangers 5-0 Tuesday night.

Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez, who tags out Ricky Ledee on a steal attempt, ended an 0-for-17 slump with a triple in the seventh.

"My temperament is even keel," Sele said. "I learned a long time ago that I've got to go out and keep my poise. When you make a bad pitch, you've got to go make another one."

Seattle (88-69), which remained a half-game ahead of Oakland in the AL West, won its second straight following losses in the first three games of a four-game series against the Athletics.

Sele (17-10) struck four and walked three in his second shutout of the season, the sixth of his career. He has a 2.55 ERA in September after going 1-4 with a 7.03 ERA in August.

Sele didn't think about coming out on a cool night when he was pitching on six days' rest. It was Seattle's fourth complete game of the season.

"Nobody said anything, so I kept on pitching," Sele said.

Seattle has turned around, too, going 16-8 in September following an 11-17 record in August.

"I said in August when we were struggling that our pitching would come back in September and I've been right," manager Lou Piniella said.

The Mariners took a 3-0 lead in the third off Ryan Glynn (5-6) on Rickey Henderson's RBI single, which stopped an 0-for-18 slide, and Mike Cameron's two-run double.

Seattle made it 5-0 in the fifth on Joe Oliver's homer and Edgar Martinez's run-scoring double, which gave him 140 RBI.

If the Mariners don't finish ahead of Oakland, they can go to the playoffs as the wild card. They're two games up on the Indians (86-71) with five to go.

"I would rather be in our situation than Cleveland's situation," Oliver said. "But you can't take anything for granted."

After ending their home schedule Thursday, the Mariners finish the regular season with three games at Anaheim.

Alex Rodriguez ended an 0-for-17 slump with a seventh-inning triple off Francisco Cordero in the seventh.

Glynn gave up five runs, eight hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings.

Texas played with only two starters from its opening day lineup: Royce Clayton and Rafael Palmeiro.

"It's obvious we are a little short out there now," manager Johnny Oates said. "We'd like to win a couple games and be professional about it."

Game notes
RHP Freddy Garcia is to start for the Mariners against the Rangers on Wednesday night in place of LHP Jamie Moyer, who will start Thursday. RHP Paul Abbott is to start Friday night at Anaheim in the opener of the Mariners' final series of the regular season. ... Sele shut out Detroit in April with a three-hitter. ... The Mariners got their 10th shutout of the season and third of the month. ... Texas was shut out for the fifth time. ... Oliver was 4-for-5 with two homers and five RBIs against Glynn this season. He had a grand slam against Glynn at Safeco Field in July 22. ... Martinez tied Ken Griffey Jr.'s team record for games at 1,535.
 


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