SEATTLE – By the end of their game Saturday, the Rangers had made the most errors in the American League and allowed the most unearned runs. And they are managed by a man who has cut his teeth in the business as a fielding expert.

Like irony much, Ron Washington?

On Saturday, the Rangers made three errors, including two that led to a critical four-run third inning, in an 8-3 loss to Seattle. Two of the runs in the third were unearned. The Rangers have now made 10 errors in 11 games and have allowed seven unearned runs. Both were the highest totals in the AL heading into Saturday night.

"We've played some pretty good defense at times and some not so good defense at times," Washington said. "But it will get better. I just think maybe we are trying to do too much sometimes. It will correct itself as the year goes on."

On Saturday, though, it may have cost the Rangers a chance to move above .500 for the first time this season and even share first place with Los Angeles. That would have been no small accomplishment less than two weeks into the season, considering the Angels swept the Rangers to start the season.

The Rangers made five errors in the three-game series against the Angels. For the last week, they'd been pretty stable when it came to fielding. Saturday, they reminded themselves fielding is still a challenge. After the Mariners took a 4-0 lead thanks to a pair of Rangers errors, Texas was never closer than three runs.

Two of the three errors came on back-to-back misplays in the third inning by third baseman Hank Blalock and second baseman Ian Kinsler. Both were trying to rush to get extra outs to avert a big inning, because starter Vicente Padilla had already created a mess.

Padilla allowed back-to-back hits to No. 8-9 hitters Jose Lopez and Jamie Burke to start the inning. Then, he hit Ichiro Suzuki to load the bases in what was still a scoreless game.

AP

Texas' Ian Kinsler looks back at first base after breaking up a third-inning double play attempt.

Adrian Beltre, whose average was plummeting toward .100, hit a hard chopper toward third. Blalock tried to charge it and turn it into a double play, but he found himself reaching for the ball when it was between hops. The ball bounced off his glove, which allowed one run to score and left the bases loaded.

On the next pitch, Jose Vidro broke his bat as he bounced a ball toward second. Ian Kinsler tried to charge the ball and get an out at second. But as he got to the ball, he slipped, and the ball squirted toward right field. Two runs scored on the play.

"I probably just should have taken my time and gotten an out at first," Kinsler said. "I was trying to do something before I even had the ball and ended up falling on my butt. What I was trying to do, it obviously didn't work out. But I talked to [Washington] about it. He's positive about it. He just said we've got to learn from it."

Right now, learning is the hard part. Especially for the teacher.