Rangers Move One Step Closer

The Texas Rangers clinched a tie for the American League West title Thursday night by beating the Seattle Mariners, 9-3, for their fourth victory in a row.

The Rangers, coming off a three-game sweep of the Angels, lead the Angels by three games with three remaining. The Angels stayed alive with a 10-6 victory over Oakland.

Texas can win its second division title with one more victory or one more Angel loss.

Ivan Rodriguez hit his career-high 21st homer and Aaron Sele won his 19th game for the Rangers, who had lost 26 of their previous 31 games against Seattle.

Sele (19-11), who yielded three runs and eight hits in six innings, was backed by a 15-hit attack that included a three-for-four, two-RBI game by Royce Clayton.

The Rangers had eight extra-base hits, including two doubles by Juan Gonzalez.

Rodriguez hit a 418-foot shot over the center-field fence to give Texas a 9-2 lead in the sixth. Mike Sims singled in the Rangers’ first run in the sixth.

Seattle’s Mac Suzuki (1-2) lasted 2 1/3 innings in his fifth major league start, giving up five runs and six hits and walking four.

Mariner pitchers walked nine Rangers, one shy of the Texas club record.

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How It Falls

Coin flips for the sites of potential tiebreaking playoffs on Monday:

AL WEST

* Angels vs. Texas--at Edison Field

NL WILD CARD

* Chicago vs. San Francisco--at Chicago

* New York vs. Chicago--at New York

* New York vs. San Francisco--at New York

NL THREE-WAY TIE

* Monday--San Francisco at New York

* Tuesday--Chicago at N.Y.-S.F. winner