Finally, Rangers Get Last Laugh

The Texas Rangers have had few highlights in this dismal season, which made a rout of the Seattle Mariners really stand out.

Alex Rodriguez hit a grand slam, and Rafael Palmeiro homered twice as the Rangers routed Seattle, 14-2, Thursday night to earn a split of their four-game series.

The Mariners own baseball’s best record at 61-23.

“They set the standard for everybody,” Rodriguez said after a second consecutive victory over his former team. “They’re playing the best of anybody in the history of the game to this point. They’re the barometer, so it’s good to have good results against a team like that.”

Rodriguez, who struggled earlier in the season against the Mariners amid heavy booing by Seattle fans, hit his 25th home run and eighth career grand slam in a nine-run fourth inning in front of a friendlier crowd.

Against the Mariners this season, Rodriguez is 14 for 48 with three homers and 11 RBIs.

Rodriguez set the Ranger record for home runs in a season by a shortstop, surpassing Kevin Elster’s 24 in 1996. Rodriguez has 214 career homers, third all-time for shortstops behind Cal Ripken Jr. (344) and Ernie Banks (277).