Nomar Mazara lets what would have been an inning ending fly ball slip out of his glove for a three-run error.

In the 127th start of his major league career, Martin Perez showed why there should not be a 128th.

He couldn’t make it out of the second inning. He walked five batters in an inning and two-thirds. His control was wilder than the notion he could be a legitimate major league starter.

But, in fairness to Perez, this was a total team breakdown. When you are a 90-loss team, it means you have flaws all over the place.

On a night when the offense showed up, the defense and pitching and baserunning failed miserably.

Mazara dropped two balls that most right fielders would have caught. The first dropped ball was the nail in the coffin for both Perez and the Rangers. And, to make matters worse, he had a horrible throw home on a play that should have been an easy out.

Ronald Guzman, who has been a godsend to the Rangers at first base, misplayed two foul balls.

It was just one of those nights. What made it especially frustrating is that it came after one of their best games of the season.

In spite of all of that, the Rangers still put the tying runs on base a couple of times but couldn’t do anything about it. Except keystone cop-like base running that resulted in a double play on pickoffs in the top of the eighth with the game still on the line.

In the end, the Rangers shortcomings were too great for the offense to overcome. Game 160 was a microcosm of the 159 games that proceeded it.

The Martin Perez ERA should put an end to the Martin Perez era.

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

Adrian Sampson (0-2, 4.96) vs. James Paxton (11-6, 3.85)
Game time: 8:10

How the Rangers hit against Paxton.
The Mariners have never hit against Sampson.