Rangers Strike Back to Defeat Mariners

Randy Johnson had the most strikeouts, but four other pitchers had their fair share, too.

The Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners set a record for a nine-inning game with 31 strikeouts and the Rangers finally solved their inability to defeat the Mariners, winning, 4-2, with two runs in the ninth inning Sunday at Seattle.

Johnson struck out 14 Rangers and Bobby Ayala four as Texas batters tied the franchise record for strikeouts in a game with 18, last done Sept. 27, 1992.

Bobby Witt had nine strikeouts and Dan Patterson and John Wetteland each had two as Texas pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts. Witt’s nine were the most by a Ranger pitcher this year.

When Wettleland struck out Rob Ducey to end the game, that broke the previous strikeout record of 30, set by Seattle (18) and Oakland on April 19, 1986.

The record for an extra-inning game is 43, set by the Angels (26) and Oakland in 20 innings on July 9, 1971.

With the score tied, 2-2, in the ninth, Damon Buford hit a leadoff homer against Ayala (6-3), Mark McLemore tripled and Ivan Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly. Wettleland worked the ninth to get his 19th save in his first appearance of the season against Seattle.

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