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CHICAGO -- The Texas Rangers' Derek Holland was just another in a growing list of lefty starters to dominate the Chicago Cubs' lineup. Holland tossed seven innings of two-hit, shutout baseball, striking out six and walking none. The Cubs entered the night hitting .159/.229/.239 against left-handed starters on the season.

Benevolent breeze: The wind in Wrigley can be fickle, blowing out one night and in the next. On Tuesday, as good as both starters were, there's no doubt they were aided by a solid inward breeze that seemed to knock down many hard line drives. Numerous balls that sounded good off the bat died in the air well before reaching the warning track.

Baker's Wrigley return: During Jeff Baker's tenure with the Cubs, he was usually placed in the lineup when facing a lefty starter. And when that happened, he often produced. Baker filled in for the struggling David Murphy in left field and delivered once again, going 2-for-3 against Cubs starter Travis Wood, including an RBI double that opened the scoring on the evening.

Beltre's bat warming up: The majority of the Rangers' bats have been struggling through the first 13 games of the season. Beltre came into the game with a .224/.283/.327 line, but delivered a key double in the fourth, which led to him scoring the first run of the game. Beltre then blasted a two-run homer in the seventh, giving the Rangers a nice four-run cushion.

Up Next: Rookie Justin Grimm makes his second start of the season for the Rangers, taking on Carlos Villanueva at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday night at Wrigley Field.

Monday’s tragedy in Boston hit close to home for Derek Lowe. Lowe spent the early part of his career with the Red Sox, living just 15 minutes outside of the city in nearby Quincy.

“It’s one of those sad things that you don’t understand, you don’t know what would make people do something like that,” Lowe said. “If you look at it, the casualties could have been so much more when you think about how many people are down there at one point and you have two bombs going off within 20 seconds of one another.”

PODCAST
David Murphy joins Galloway & Company to discuss his Boston ties and the tragedy at the marathon, playing at Wrigley Field and much more. Listen

Lowe’s manager Ron Washington was similarly perplexed by the incident.

“I don’t know how people can take out innocent people,” Washington said. “What message are they sending?”

Washington’s Rangers teams spent Patriots Day in Boston in 2008, 2010 and 2012, playing a game only in 2008. Washington said he spent the off days during the marathon walking around the finish line, in close proximity to where both bombs were detonated.

During his nearly eight seasons with the Red Sox, Lowe experienced many Patriots Day festivities in Boston and said it was always a special day.

“No one that I knew was impacted by it, but a lot of my friends do go down to the marathon,” Lowe said. “It’s always a sad situation when something like this happens. It was always -- and it’s still gonna be -- a great day that so many people in the city look forward to.”

It’s always a unique day because you play at 11 in the morning. But it’s one of those things that you always look forward to -- which sounds crazy because it’s 11 o’clock -- but just because the city is abuzz and there are so many people in one area. There’s 27,000 people that run, on top of all the fans and the 35,000 at Fenway. You know it’s going to be hectic, you know there’s going to be traffic, but you look forward to it. Starting at 8 a.m., the bars are packed and it continues all day long.”

Murphy gets a day off: David Murhpy has struggled early this season, posting a .160 batting average. Washington decided to give him Tuesday off with lefty Travis Wood on the mound for the Cubs. With Monday a scheduled off day, Washington was able to shoehorn an extra day of rest in for Murphy.

“(I’m) trying to get them all a break early here,” Washington said, denying that Murphy needed a mental break. “We’ve played 13 games, he’s been in every single one of them. Having a day off sitting in the hotel and running around Chicago ain’t the same as having a mental day off at the ball park. I just chose the day. It’s a lefty (on the mound for Chicago) so it works out perfectly.”

Washington managed to do the same with fellow lefty Mitch Moreland early in the season when the Rangers faced southpaw Jason Vargas following an off day. Washington emphasized that he has no concerns about Murphy’s struggles.

“He’s a battler,” Washington said. “He’s not the only one (who has struggled). We have a few guys who need to come around. It’s early in the year and two things happen: you get off good or you get off bad. He has a record showing that he knows how to recover and he’ll be back in there tomorrow.”

Soto unlikely to start in Wrigley return: Washington didn’t seem too eager to give former Cubs catcher Geovany Soto a start at his old stomping ground over the next three days.

“If for some reason we end up playing a doubleheader, he will,” Washington said, referring to the expected rain coming through Chicago on Wednesday and Thursday. “I can’t say he definitely (will play) if we don’t play a doubleheader.”

Berkman limited to pinch hitting: Washington also confirmed that Lance Berkman would not be starting any of the three games in Chicago, but would be available to pinch hit, with a caveat.

“He is available, but if he can’t loosen up, I’m not sending him out there,” Washington said. “It all depends if he can stay warm in the clubhouse and get loose.”

Berkman spent the bulk of his career with the former Cubs' division-mates Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals. With his lengthy stay with Cubs' rivals combined with the fact that he recently made some disheartening comments about Wrigley Field to the media, Berkman can expect to be booed heartily if he does make a plate appearance.

PODCAST
Ron Washington joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss his thoughts on the tragedy in Boston, Lance Berkman's comments about Wrigley Field and the absence of the Rangers' bats early in the season. Listen

Texas Rangers assistant general manager Thad Levine said Tuesday that the five pitchers in Surprise, Ariz. on rehabilitation programs "all are progressing on schedule."

Colby Lewis and Joakim Soria both threw 30-pitch live batting practice sessions Tuesday. Lewis, who is coming back from flexor pronator surgery last July, and Soria, who had Tommy John surgery last April, are getting closer to pitching in extended spring training games.

Right-hander Neftali Feliz, who had Tommy John surgery last August, is throwing from 105 feet. He is not ready to throw off a mound yet. Left-hander Martin Perez, who suffered a broken left wrist on March 4, is throwing 30-35 pitch bullpen sessions.

Right-hander Kyle McClellan, who strained a rib cage muscle during spring training, is throwing out to 120 feet as he gets closer to throwing off a mound.

PODCAST
David Murphy joins Galloway & Company to discuss his Boston ties and the tragedy at the marathon, playing at Wrigley Field and much more. Listen

The Rangers made a trade Tuesday. It's just not the one involving outfielder Julio Borbon.

Left-handed pitcher Jeff Beliveau was sent to the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday for cash considerations. Beliveau, who had been optioned to Triple-A Round Rock, was designated for assignment on April 8 to make room for Triple-A catcher Robinson Chirinos in a separate deal with the Rays.

As for Borbon, the Rangers continue to try to deal the 27-year-old outfielder, who was designated for assignment last Tuesday. They have 10 days to trade him or put him on waivers, so the clock is ticking. Borbon would have to clear waivers before the Rangers can send him to Round Rock, but that is not expected to happen.

The Rangers and Cubs open a three-game series with a pair of 26-year-old left-handers taking the mound as Derek Holland faces Travis Wood. First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. on FSSW and ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM and 1540 AM.

PODCAST
David Murphy joins Galloway & Company to discuss his Boston ties and the tragedy at the marathon, playing at Wrigley Field and much more. Listen

Holland (0-1, 2.40): Holland has had quality starts in each of his first two outings. He allowed two earned runs in both starts, going seven innings against the Angels and eight innings against the Rays. ... Holland has gone at least seven innings and allowed two runs or less in six of his last eight starts. ... Holland, who gave up 32 home runs last season, has allowed only one this year. ... Opponents are hitting just .209 off Holland. ... The Rangers have scored only two runs in support of him. ... Holland will make his first start at Wrigley Field. He has started once against the Cubs, giving up two earned runs on home runs to Alfonso Soriano and Starlin Castro back in 2010. ... Holland is 1-5 with a 5.96 ERA in nine career interleague starts, with three straight losses. ... He is 0-for-7 as a hitter with three strikeouts.

Wood (1-0, 1.46 ERA): Wood is making his third start of the season. ... He allowed two earned runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings last Tuesday against Milwaukee, leaving the game trailing 3-0. He had six strikeouts and three walks. ... Wood relies mostly on a fastball and cutter. ... He averages one home run allowed per nine innings for his career and gave up 25 long balls last season. ... Wood was 6-13 with a 4.13 ERA last season and hasn't recorded a victory since July 17, 2012. ... This is Wood's first career start against the Rangers.

Hitters: Lance Berkman (7-for-11, 2 HRs, 2 RBIs) and Jeff Baker (3-for-8, 1 HR, 1 RBI) have had success against Wood. Brent Lillibridge (3-for-10, 1 HR, 2 RBIs) and Dioner Navarro (2-for-4, 1 HR, 3 RBIs) have done well against Holland.

Rangers manager Ron Washington had a few moments in the last week where he had an option to go to the bench in a pivotal run-scoring situation. He chose to stick with the player in the game.

PODCAST
Ron Washington joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss his thoughts on the tragedy in Boston, Lance Berkman's comments about Wrigley Field and the absence of the Rangers' bats early in the season. Listen

The first instance came in last Wednesday's 2-0 loss against the Tampa Bay Rays. With the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the sixth inning and Mitch Moreland coming up against left-handed reliever Cesar Ramos, Washington had switch hitter Lance Berkman available to pinch hit.

Berkman had been give the day off and Washington wanted it to be a full one. Washington stuck with Moreland, who grounded into a double play to end the rally.

Washington again had a chance to go to his bench in the eighth inning of Sunday's 4-3 loss at Seattle. This time he had backup catcher Geovany Soto coming up.

David Murphy had a two-out single, moving Adrian Beltre to third base. With left-handed reliever Oliver Perez in for Seattle and right-handed closer Tom Wilhelmsen warming up, Washington had the option of going to Ian Kinsler on his bench; or if Wilhelmsen came in, starting catching A.J. Pierzynski was available.

Washington stuck with Soto, who had a good at-bat, seeing eight pitches. And Soto had reached base in all of four of his chances against Perez. But his popup to right field was caught easily for the third out and the Rangers didn't score.

We'll never know what would have happened with Kinsler or Pierzynski at the plate.

Garcia shines: Washington decided to give utility man Leury Garcia back-to-back starts over the weekend at shortstop and second base. Garcia made Washington look good. He made one spectacular play and two other dazzlers at shortstop Saturday. Garcia also had a single and scored a run. Playing second base Sunday, Garcia had a triple and scored a run.

Leaning on Ortiz: Washington trusted 22-year-old rookie Joe Ortiz in two key spots last week against Seattle out of the bullpen, and the left-hander won the first two decisions of his career. He pitched two shutout innings in both outings. Ortiz has 1.04 ERA and six strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings.

The Rangers will visit Wrigley Field for the first time since 2002 as they start a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night.

A scuffling Rangers' offense will be challenged by three quality Cubs starters and brisk and rainy weather in Chicago. Here are some things to watch for:

PODCAST
Ron Washington joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss his thoughts on the tragedy in Boston, Lance Berkman's comments about Wrigley Field and the absence of the Rangers' bats early in the season. Listen

No Berkman: The Rangers' leading hitter, Lance Berkman, isn't expected to play in the field during the three-game series, making him available only as a pinch hitter with National League rules in place. Berkman is batting .389 with a .500 on-base percentage this season, so he'll be missed. Manager Ron Washington said Sunday that the cold weather factored into the decision. Berkman, who has not played in the field this season, is coming off two knee surgeries.

Cubs struggling, too: The Rangers aren't the only team struggling at the plate. The Cubs enter Tuesday hitless in their last 23 at-bats with runners in scoring position. They are averaging five runs per game at Wrigley this season and just lost three out of four games to the San Francisco Giants.

Forecast worsens: There's only a slight chance of rain for Tuesday night's series opener, but according to weather.com it's almost a lock that things will be wet Wednesday and Thursday. There's a 100 percent chance for rain in Chicago for Wednesday and 90 percent for Thursday with a 1:20 p.m. day game scheduled. The Rangers don't return to Chicago to play the Cubs this season.

Where's the power?: The Rangers have 12 home runs in 13 games, which is almost half as many as they had last year when they were at 23 home runs at this point. Don't expect that to change at Wrigley. It's known to be a home run ballpark, but not in April when Wrigley typically plays as a pitcher's park.

Samardzija brings it: The Rangers will face a difficult test Thursday afternoon against Cubs right-hander Jeff Samardzija, one of the National League's most electric pitchers. Samardzija has a 2.75 ERA with a 1-2 record to show for it. The Cubs power pitcher has 27 strikeouts, second in the major leagues behind the Rangers' Yu Darvish, who has 28 Ks. His fastball averaged 95.1 mph last year and he's at 95.0 this season. Samardzija hasn't allowed a home run in 19 2/3 innings.

ESPN.com's Buster Olney shared a quick nugget the other day in his daily blog, noting that the Rangers were doing "some early reconnaissance on how they could put together some kind of a deal" for Giancarlo Stanton. This shouldn't come as a shock. The Rangers' front office is very proactive and it makes perfect sense to be poking the Miami Marlins about Stanton, even a few months prior to the trade deadline.

PODCAST
ESPN Insider Jim Bowden joins Fitzsimmons & Durrett to discuss the possibility of the Rangers trading Jurickson Profar. Listen

Of course, the Marlins may not deal him then. But why not be prepared? So let's say the Marlins make it clear at some point in July that they'll listen to offers for Stanton. What might it take to get him?

Every deal starts with Jurickson Profar, the No. 1-ranked prospect according to ESPN.com's Keith Law. Now that the Rangers have signed Elvis Andrus to a long-term deal that keeps him in Texas at least through the 2018 season, they can afford to ship Profar. But they won't do that for just anybody. It's got to be a frontline starter or a middle-of-the-lineup bat, and either of those possibilities should be under team control for a few years.

Stanton fits the bill. He's under team control through the 2016 season, so the Rangers would be trading a package fronted by Profar for someone who won't hit the free agent market right away. Yes, he's struggled so far this season (and has dealt with shoulder soreness), but he hit. 290 with 37 homers and 86 RBIs in 449 at-bats last year. It was a third straight season of solid numbers with his average and homers going up. He's got a track record, albeit a brief one, of success.

To get him, Profar won't be enough. Mike Olt makes some sense here, as well. The Marlins could use a third baseman with a glove like Olt's, and while he struggled in spring training, he's got a bat with upside. The Marlins would likely want pitching. The Rangers, staying in prospect mode, could let them choose one or two from a group including Martin Perez, Justin Grimm, Cody Buckel, and maybe Nick Tepesch. Would Leonys Martin factor in here somewhere? Maybe.

But the Marlins are likely to want a piece that's in the majors and would be under club control for a while. Derek Holland or Matt Harrison would be examples. If that happens, the prospect package has to drop or it's too high a price to pay. Perhaps the Rangers will feel any package that includes one of its starters at the big league level is too high a price to pay. They worked hard to tie up the starting staff long term and won't want to break that up. But maybe there are other possibilities -- like a Robbie Ross, for instance -- that could be factored in to some kind of deal.

But it's probably going to take a strong prospect package and some pieces at the big league level to get this done.

Your turn. Give me an offer for Stanton that you think the Marlins would take (and the Rangers would be willing to give).

Much attention is being given to the Texas Rangers' offense through 13 games. And for good reason.

The Rangers are 8-5, which is a testament to the their pitching -- especially the bullpen. Joe Ortiz and Tanner Scheppers have answered the offseason's biggest question mark in the early going.

Meanwhile, the offense has put up 49 runs for an average of 3.8 runs per game. The Rangers have scored 30 fewer runs than they had at this time last season when they were averaging 6.1 runs per game.

A deeper look at the numbers through 13 games this season and in 2012 is revealing.

The Rangers were 11-2 at this point last season. Josh Hamilton, Michael Young and Mike Napoli were among the leaders through 13 games last season, and all three left via trade or free agency after last season.

The Rangers are off Monday, then must prepare for what looks like a chilly, rainy three-game series Tuesday-Thursday in the Windy City against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Then it's back home for a brief three-game homestand as the Rangers get an early season rematch Friday-Sunday with the Seattle Mariners.

Here are some things to watch for:

Chicago weather: The forecast on weather.com calls for 52-degree highs with a north wind and a chance of rain for Tuesday and Wednesday. The best chance for rain is Wednesday, with a 70 percent probability. Thursday afternoon's game (1:20 p.m.) should be better with a high of 67 degrees, but there's still a 40 percent chance of rain. It could be a long three days in Chicago.

Cubs' pitching: The Rangers will face three hot Cubs pitchers. Scheduled starters Travis Wood, Carlos Villanueva and Jeff Samardzija are off to a torrid start with a 1.76 combined ERA. They've allowed 30 hits in 46 innings and are averaging a strikeout per inning. They've had tough luck with a combined 2-2 record.

Even with Mariners: The Rangers and Mariners just completed a four-games series in which both teams scored 11 runs. The teams split the series at Safeco Field with each team winning by scores of 4-3 and 3-1. The Rangers had a chance to win three out of four but couldn't rally from a 4-3 deficit in the late innings Sunday despite multiple scoring opportunities and several bench options that manager Ron Washington elected not to use.

No King Felix: The Rangers won't see Seattle starter Felix Hernandez this time around. King Felix will start Wednesday against Detroit. The Rangers beat Hernandez 4-3 on Thursday, preventing the Mariners ace from notching his 100th career victory.

SEATTLE -- The sinker sunk Nick Tepesch in his second major league start.

It wasn’t that the pitch didn’t work again. It was that he didn’t use it enough.

Where was the darting pitch that so baffled the Tampa Bay Rays last week, when the non-roster Texas Rangers invitee to spring training allowed four hits and one run in 7S dazzling innings to win his major league debut?

It was mostly, mysteriously, in moth balls Sunday in the Rangers’ series finale against the Seattle Mariners.

“It was still good today,” Tepesch said. “I just didn’t throw it as much as I should have.”

That may be why he wasn’t able to make history.

The 24-year-old right-hander just missed becoming the first pitcher since Kevin Brown in 1988, and just the third in Rangers’ history, to win his first two major league starts.

He allowed four runs and nine hits in 5T innings. With how Texas’ offense is struggling that meant a 4-3 loss and a split of the four-game series here.

Seattle’s most damaging hits against Tepesch were off his secondary pitches. Raul Ibanez homered on a high fastball five rows into the right-field bleachers leading off the bottom of the fourth to give Seattle a 2-1 lead. Struggling Dustin Ackley hit a 3-2 curveball in the pivotal sixth inning to single home Jesus Montero. That give the Mariners the 4-3 lead they never surrendered.

So instead of joining Brown and Glen Cook (1985) in team history, Tepesch takes a lesson into his third big league start, next weekend back home in Arlington against these same Mariners.

That start may have more sink to it.

“I just for some reason didn’t go to it as much as I should have,” Tepesch said of his No. 1 pitch. “Looking back on it -- not saying I am second guessing myself, at all -- but I should have gone to it more.”

Manager Ron Washington was pleased with his rookie starter.

“I thought he was pretty good again (Sunday),” Washington said. “Bottom line, he kept us in the game. We had a chance. We just couldn’t get a hit to make a difference.”

Rangers team notes:

Luery Garcia, who impressed Washington with heads up play batting and in the field in his first major league start Saturday at shortstop, hit his first big league triple off the top of the right-field wall in Sunday’s fifth inning. He then broke on contact for home on Elvis Andrus’ hard grounder to second baseman Ackley, who was playing in. Ackley threw him out trying to score the tying run. Garcia got a sacrifice bunt down to advance Mitch Moreland into scoring position in the seventh, before Andrus and Gentry struck out to keep Texas behind 4-3. ... Garcia started Sunday at second base for Ian Kinsler. Kinsler got his first day off of the season. … Washington said the next regular due for a complete day off is Andrus, who got a semi break Saturday when he was the designated hitter instead of shortstop. … Seattle was good to reliever Joe Ortiz. He got his first two major league wins here, Thursday and Saturday, and says that has given him new confidence. … Tuesday’s game at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs will be Texas’ earliest interleague game by a month. The previous early date: May 16, 2008, against the Houston Astros. … The Rangers’ 3-1 win Saturday came without an extra-base hit, something they did just twice in all of 2012 and twice in 2011. ... This was only the sixth time in 33 series dating to the start of last season that the Rangers didn’t win a series after they won the first game.

SEATTLE -- For about the last dozen years, four runs allowed by Texas Rangers pitchers and defense have been anything but insurmountable. That’s generally been more like an inconvenience, about to be overcome by a barrage of Texas hitting, runs scored -- and wins.

Not so far this month.

But no one is sounding alarms or calling for massive change.

Not yet.

The offense is as cool as the 30- and 40-degree temperatures in which Texas’ last five games (four in Seattle and a cold one in Arlington on Wednesday) have been played. Pitching and defense -- not hitting – are keeping the Rangers in games right now.

“It’s still early, and the good thing is our pitching staff has done a good job keeping us in games. But our offense definitely needs to get it in gear sooner than later,” David Murphy said after he went 1-for-4 to raise his average to .160 and add to the Rangers’ six hits Sunday in a 4-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners at chilly Safeco Field.

The Rangers split the series with 2012’s last place team in the AL West, while scoring 11 runs in four games.

The Rangers have scored a total of 10 runs in their five defeats this season. Through 13 games heading into Tuesday’s series opener against the Cubs in what is expected to be chilly and wet Chicago, Texas is ninth in the American League in runs scored (49) and ninth in batting average (.251).

(The Rangers, by the way, haven’t hit below .260 for a season since 1992.)

Yes, it’s early enough for one at-bat can swing a guy’s average many points. So early that parkas and beanies are the gear of choice in dugouts and bullpens. Yet if the Rangers kept this pace of 3.77 runs scored per game, it would be their lowest average in a season -- outside a strike-shortened year -- since 1982.

“The effort is there. The preparation is right,” said Murphy, who had an RBI single in Thursday’s series-opening 4-3 win in Seattle. “We’re just not clicking. That can happen in April.”

“The bottom line is we have a good record, but we have not been playing to our potential,” he said.

On Sunday the Rangers lost to Brandon Maurer, a rookie who was in Double-A last year and had allowed six runs in each of his first two major league starts this month, both losses. Maurer didn’t survive the first inning in his previous start against the Houston Astros here last week.

But Texas got five hits and just two earned runs in six innings off Maurer, now 1-2 with a 9.95 ERA. Once he left leading 4-3, the Rangers had Mitch Moreland at second base and one out in the seventh inning. Then, poof, Elvis Andrus struck out on a high slider from Stephen Pryor and Craig Gentry watched Pryor’s 97 mph fastball go across his thighs for strike three to end the threat.

In the eighth, Adrian Beltre walked with one out and got to third on Murphy’s bloop hit. Rangers manager Ron Washington chose to stay with Geovany Soto against left-hander Oliver Perez, rather than pinch hit with one of his resting regulars such as Ian Kinsler or A.J. Pierzynski. Soto got a 1-2 count to 3-2 before he flied out to doom that chance.

“I thought Geovany was going to get him there,” Washington said of his backup catcher, who was starting the day game after a night tilt.

The Rangers went down in order in the ninth, with Moreland, rookie Leury Garcia -- making his second consecutive start -- and Andrus succumbing to Seattle closer Tom Wilhelmsen.

“For sure, we’re still fighting out there. We’re still grinding, trying to find something,” said Andrus, who is now batting .220 after going 0-for-5.

“We’ve got to keep grinding. We’ve still got a long way to go.”

SEATTLE -- Nick Tepesch missed a prime chance to become the first Texas Rangers pitcher since Kevin Brown in 1988 to win his first two major league starts. That’s because of misplays by his defense in the pivotal sixth inning.

In the end, the Rangers lost 4-3 in Sunday afternoon’s four-game series finale with the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.

The Rangers stranded potential tying runs at second base in the seventh inning and at third in the eighth before going in order in the ninth. They are now 8-5 after splitting the series with their AL West rivals.

A little help, please: Tepesch (1-1) was brilliant in his first major league start while allowing Tampa Bay one run in 7⅓ innings last week. Sunday, he made in-game adjustments to put his team in position to win -- and himself to join Brown and Glen Cook in 1985 as the only Texas pitchers to win their first two major league starts.

After allowing a go-ahead home run to Raul Ibanez in the fourth inning on a high fastball, the Rangers reclaimed the lead and Tepesch got Ibanez flailing at a 79 mph changeup to end the fifth with two Mariners on. That kept the Rangers ahead 3-2.

But in the sixth Nelson Cruz failed to get over quickly enough and get his glove down far enough to keep Kyle Seager’s one-out base hit off Tepesch from going past him to the right-field wall. That was a generously scored double. Jesus Montero then hit a broken-bat flare in front of Cruz, an RBI single that would not have scored Seager had Cruz kept him at first base. Compounding that, Montero took second when Cruz overthrew his cutoff man and home by 10 feet trying to cut down Seager.

That overthrow became costly when Dustin Ackley hit a full-count curvevball for a single to score Montero. Seattle led 4-3, and Tepesch was gone after striking out Robert Andino with his 102nd pitch.

Tepesch’s second start line: 5⅔ innings, nine hits, four earned runs, five strikeouts, one hit batter.

Hey, thanks: The Rangers had taken the lead briefly in the fifth thanks to Justin Smoak, their former first-round draft pick. With two outs and Texas down 2-1, Lance Berkman hit a hard ground ball a few feet to the right of Smoak, who was playing well off first base. Instead of moving to the ball, Smoak took off left to cover his bag, as if second baseman Ackley was going to get it and throw to him. The ignored roller bounded well wide of a surprised Ackley and into right field for a gift RBI for Berkman, who had rested two of the previous four games. Instead of the potential end to Texas’ rally, Craig Gentry went from first to third on the misplay. Gentry then scored the Rangers’ third run on a passed ball by Montero.

Up next: After Monday’s second off day of the season, Derek Holland (0-1, 2.40 ERA) starts the series opener Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. CT against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Holland is the only Rangers starter to begin the season with two consecutive quality starts. He faces left-hander Travis Wood (1-0, 1.46) on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM.

SEATTLE -- The Texas Rangers gained more than two wins in their first three games of their weekend in chilly Seattle against the Mariners.

They gained trust in a new middle infielder.

Leury Garcia got his second major league start -- his second in two days -- Sunday in the series finale when he replaced resting second baseman Ian Kinsler, who didn’t start for the first time this season. Saturday night the 22-year-old rookie debuted at shortstop, as Elvis Andrus was the designated hitter after starting the first 11 games in the field.

Garcia dazzled meticulous manager Ron Washington with his alertness and attention to detail in his first start -- both with his bat and his glove.

Saturday’s box score showed Garcia singled for his first major league hit in the sixth inning. He came around to tie the game at 1 on a weird play in which Nelson Cruz hit a bases-loaded line drive that Seattle first baseman Justin Smoak dropped then threw to second for a forceout.

What the box score didn’t describe was the play Washington will remember likely for as long as Garcia is a Ranger. It came two innings later, with Craig Gentry on first base and no outs and the game still tied.

Washington didn’t have a time on Seattle reliever Carter Capps’ motion out of the stretch to the plate. And when the manager tried to get one from the dugout in Saturday’s eighth inning, his watch stopped working.

“So I had to go on instincts,” Washington said.

He initially had a sacrifice bunt play on for Garcia. He intended to then flash the sign to third base coach Gary Pettis for Gentry to steal instead.

“Actually, I thought I gave the steal sign. I accidentally put on a hit-and-run trying to steal,” Washington said Sunday morning.

Pettis relayed the message to the 29-year-old Gentry leading off first base and to the 22-year-old Garcia outside the batter’s box. Pettis took off the bunt sign and put on the hit-and-run. Not only did Gentry get the switch, but so did the rookie -- on the road, in the eighth inning of a tie game, his second appearance in the majors.

Capps’ next pitch was high and hard, hardly optimal on which to hit and run. Yet with Gentry sprinting to second, Garcia muscled the ball past the pitcher’s mound for a groundout to short. Garcia putting the ball in play allowed Gentry to get into scoring position, from which he scored the go-ahead run on a two-out single by Andrus.

“I’m a genius,” Washington joked of succeeding accidentally.

He said it was the first time such a sign mix-up had happened to him in 984 games as a Rangers manager and 11 years before that as a coach for the Oakland Athletics.

Garcia got a hero’s welcome in the dugout after his heads-up play.

Then in the bottom of the ninth, Seattle’s Dustin Ackley scorched a one-hopper to Garcia’s side. The shortstop moved his head and body behind his glove, just as Washington preaches, and instead of stabbing at the ball, calmly collected the smash and turned it into a routine second out.

Closer Joe Nathan then finished off the Rangers’ 3-1 win.

“He didn’t show any ill effect of being unsure of what he can do. … I’m pleased,” Washington said of Garcia, who Texas signed as a free agent in December 2007 out of the Dominican Republic when he was just 16.

“I’m happy now that I can send him out there and trust him.”

Soto returns: The Rangers leave Seattle Sunday evening for Chicago and a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs beginning Tuesday at Wrigley Field.

It will be the first time for Geovany Soto in Wrigley since Texas acquired the backup catcher in a trade with the Cubs for Jake Brigham on July 31, 2012. Washington hopes to get Soto at least one start there this week.

“Oh, yeah, it’s going to be great to be back there,” Soto said before he started for A.J. Pierzynski in the finale of the Seattle series. “I have a lot of great memories from my time there.”

The manger is new in Chicago and the coaching staff has changed since Soto’s time there, but he has friends remaining in Cubs Luis Valbuena, Starlin Castro, Alfonso Soriano and David DeJesus.

One thing Soto is certain hasn’t changed is the happy, party vibe at Wrigley Field. It rages on. Even when the Cubs are losing. Even when it’s cold and rainy. Yes, it’s forecast to be rainy and in the 40s and 50s during the Rangers' series there this week.

“It’s really a special place,” Soto said. “I’m really lucky to have gotten to play there. The fans there always supported us. It felt like a playoff game every day, no matter if it was in the middle of May.”

His advice to his Rangers teammates on playing there this week?

“Just try to stay hot,” he said, smiling, “especially in April.”

Up next: After Monday’s second off day of the young season, the Rangers will start Derek Holland (0-1, 2.40 ERA) against Cubs left-hander Travis Wood (1-0, 1.46) Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. CT. Wednesday at the same time, Justin Grimm makes his second start in place of injured Matt Harrison, against Carlos Villanueva (0-0, 0.64). Thursday at 1:20 p.m., Alexi Ogando (2-0, 1.08) faces Cubs Opening Day starter Jeff Samardzija (1-2, 2.75). All games will be televised on Fox Sports Southwest. Tuesday and Thursday’s radio broadcasts will be on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM, with Wednesday’s game on 660 AM.

SEATTLE -- Opening night starter Matt Harrison had a second injection this weekend to combat inflammation in his back, putting the date of his return to the Texas Rangers’ rotation in doubt.

The left-hander, who was 18-11 with a 3.29 ERA for Texas last season -- his second full one in the major leagues -- went on the 15-day disabled list Thursday. He had been hoping to miss just two starts. This second, unanticipated injection to treat an inflamed nerve in his lower back was administered in Texas while his team was finishing a four-game series in Seattle against the Mariners.

The first epidural was last weekend during a visit to Dr. Drew Dossett, a spine consultant in Dallas to the Texas Rangers, Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Stars.

Harrison (0-2, 8.44 ERA) allowed eight hits and five runs in five innings on April 6 in a loss to the Los Angeles Angels. That was after he surrendered five earned runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings in the opener March 31 against the Houston Astros.

He said last week, “I really didn’t say much about (the lower-back pain) because we were hoping it would take care of itself and work out where I was able to throw again, but it just didn’t take like we thought it would.”

Apparently, it still hasn’t taken.

The Rangers recalled right-hander Justin Grimm from Triple-A Round Rock to start in place of Harrison Thursday against the Mariners. Grimm struggled at times but got key outs with men on base over four innings and 92 pitches against Seattle ace Felix Hernandez, keeping the Rangers in a game they eventually won, 4-3.

Texas has an off day Monday to prepare for a three-game series at the Chicago Cubs. The Rangers had already announced Grimm will start again Wednesday against the Cubs.

The team doesn’t want to pitch Yu Darvish at what is expected to be a cold and potentially wet Wrigley Field this week, so it has pushed his next start back to Friday at home against the Mariners.

Texas’ pitchers for the Cubs series will be Derek Holland (0-1, 2.40 ERA) Tuesday, Grimm on Wednesday and Alexi Ogando (2-0, 1.08) Thursday afternoon. Ogando allowed five hits and one run in five innings of a no-decision Saturday that ended in a 3-1 Rangers win.