Updated

Elvis Andrus drove in the winning run in the eighth inning to give the Texas Rangers a 3-1 win over the Seattle Mariners in the third of four from Safeco Field.

Adrian Beltre and Nelson Cruz also had an RBI apiece for the Rangers, who have won five of their last seven.

"Saunders was throwing the ball good, hitting his spots, in and out," said Beltre. "We had one big chance sixth inning and he came out of it, we only scored one, which was good at least to tie the ballgame. but we were able to capitalize on the young guy that made a couple of mistakes and we took advantage of it."

Alexi Ogando pitched five innings in the start and gave up a run on five hits with a walk and five strikeouts. Joe Ortiz (2-0) tossed two scoreless innings to get his second win of the series.

Jason Bay had two hits and drove in the lone run of the game for the Mariners, who have dropped four of their last five.

Joe Saunders gave up an unearned run on three hits over seven innings. Carter Capps (0-1) was tagged for two runs in an inning of work to pick up his first career loss.

"I felt bad we couldn't scratch a couple across for Saunders," said Seattle catcher Kelly Shoppach. "We had opportunities early in the game to get some runs, really throughout the game we had some chances to get some runs and couldn't cash them in. Joe did well enough to win tonight, but we couldn't get enough for him."

With the score tied in the eighth, Craig Gentry walked to leadoff and moved to second on a Leury Garcia groundout. After Ian Kinsler popped out, Andrus singled home Gentry and then stole second base. Beltre's single to left scored Andrus for a 3-1 lead.

Ortiz set the M's down in order in the eighth, and Joe Nathan did the same in the ninth for his fourth save of the season.

The first run of the game came in the fifth inning as Kelly Shoppach led off the frame with a ground-rule double and later scored on Bay's single to center.

Texas answered in the sixth as Garcia led off with a single, moved to second on Brendan Ryan's error on a Kinsler grounder and took third on a sac bunt by Andrus. After Adrian Beltre was issued an intentional walk, Cruz hit a grounder to score Garcia. Beltre was caught in a rundown on the play to end the inning.

Game Notes

Seattle left eight men on base ... Texas goes for the series victory on Sunday with Nick Tepesch on the mound, while Brandon Maurer will toe the rubber for Seattle.