SEATTLE -- There’s a reason
The 27-year-old southpaw improved to 8-3 with a 3.23 ERA in 22 career outings at T-Mobile Park and hasn’t allowed a home run at home in his past seven starts, dating back to last year. That’s the longest homerless streak at home by a Mariners starter since an eight-game stretch by Aaron Sele in 2000-01.\n\n“I love pitching in the Northwest,” Gonzales said. “Just the climate and the feel is really accommodating to how I pitch and what I like to do. I get juiced up to pitch here. For whatever reason, I like it a lot.”\n\nGonzales has been impressive everywhere since taking over as Seattle’s No. 1 starter this year. He equaled his career high with nine strikeouts while allowing six hits with no walks and is 5-0 with 2.80 ERA in seven starts this season and 6-0 with a 2.45 ERA in 11 starts since Sept. 11 of last season.\n\n“Marco is a very good competitor,” manager Scott Servais said. “He’s got four quality pitches and when he gets them all going and mixes them, the sequences of his pitches is awesome. The back and forth, in and out, the cutter has been a big weapon for him. He’s a complete package. He’s a good fielder, he holds runners well, But ultimately it comes down to his competitiveness. He’s a tough nut out there.”
The Mariners took advantage of Rangers rookie Taylor Hearn in his Major League debut as the 24-year-old lefty gave up five runs (four earned) on four walks and three hits while getting just one out before being lifted.\n\n
**Busting out the bats**\n\nAfter totaling just two hits in a 1-0 loss in San Diego on Wednesday, the Mariners got back on track with their 14 hits and season-high 14 runs off six Texas pitchers (one being catcher Jeff Mathis).\n\nHealy went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles, three RBIs and three runs scored, utility man