Rangers' Yang Hyeon-jong yanked early in loss to Mariners

Another start, another short day on the mound for Yang Hyeon-jong.

The Texas Rangers' South Korean starter lasted only three innings in a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Sunday (local time). The left-hander allowed three runs -- one unearned -- on five hits and a walk, as he dropped to 0-3 for the year. His ERA went up from 5.47 to 5.53.

Yang struck out two and needed a whopping 70 pitches -- 49 strikes -- to retire nine batters, including 26 in the opening inning.

After getting two outs in that first inning, Yang gave up a single to Kyle Lewis and walked Kyle Seager after a nine-pitch battle. Ty France knocked in a run with a double.

Yang gave up another two-out hit in the second inning, a double by Donovan Walton, but avoided further damage.

While the Rangers didn't get a hit off Seattle starter Yusei Kikuchi through three innings, the Mariners put up two more runs off Yang in the bottom of the third. The left-hander struck out Mitch Haniger to begin the inning but then the Mariners strung together three straight hits to take a 3-0 lead.

Lewis hit a double that went off the glove of center fielder Adolis Garcia. Seager then dumped one into shallow right-center field and reached second base when right fielder Joey Gallo failed to make the catch.

France then cashed in both runners with a single up the middle.

Yang got out of the inning with a 3-6-3 double play, but reliever Demarcus Evans took over for the Rangers to begin the fourth.

The Rangers were no-hit by Corey Kluber of the New York Yankees in Yang's start on May 19, and they were held hitless while Yang was on the mound in this game.

This was Yang's third consecutive start, and fourth overall, while filling in for injured Kohei Arihara. Yang pitched more than five innings in only one of those four starts.

He has made three relief appearances and worked at least four innings in all of them. He has a 3.55 ERA in 12 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, but a 7.20 ERA in 15 innings as a starter.

Of Yang's 70 pitches, the Mariners fanned on just seven of them and fouled off 22. (Yonhap)