Split Down the Middle as History is Made

Rangers rookie Tommy Hunter had fun during a long rain delay. Then he got down to business.

Hunter threw a six-hitter for his first complete game and the Rangers hit three homers to beat the Seattle Mariners 7-2 in the opener of a doubleheader Sunday.

Rain that pelted the area for the past four days caused the game to begin 4 hours, 31 minutes after the originally scheduled start time of 12:35 p.m. It was a makeup of Friday night's rainout.

Ichiro Suzuki doubled in four at-bats, leaving him one hit shy of setting a major league record with his ninth straight 200-hit season. In the second inning of the nightcap, he accomplished the feat with an infield single.

Ichiro beat out an infield single to become the first player in major league history with at least 200 in nine straight seasons as the Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 5-0 to split a doubleheader after losing the opener 7-2.

Suzuki received a standing ovation from the sparse crowd. He stepped off first base and doffed his batting helmet. The speedy outfielder had been tied with Hall of Famer "Wee" Willie Keeler, who had eight consecutive 200-hit seasons from 1894-1901.
Texas, which has won eight of 11, was playing its third doubleheader this month due to rainouts.

"From the first pitch of the game we were ready," manager Ron Washington said. "We went out there and put a solid ballgame together."

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Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press 

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