Arlington, Texas ? Alfonso Soriano was just trying to put the ball in play. Instead, he knocked the 552nd pitch over the fence to end the longest major-league game of the season.

Soriano’s two-run homer in the 18th inning Thursday gave the Texas Rangers a 9-7 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

“It was important to win this game,” Soriano said. “It’s an amazing win.”

The Rangers overcame an early 5-1 deficit and tied the game at 7 on Mark Teixeira’s RBI single in the ninth. They also received 112/3 scoreless innings from their last six relievers.

“They gave us opportunity after opportunity going out there and putting up zeros on the board,” said catcher Rod Barajas, who hit two solo homers. “It took us awhile to finally capitalize on what they were doing.”

It was the longest big-league game since St. Louis won, 7-6 in 20 innings, on April 27, 2003, at Florida. It matched the longest game in Rangers history, but Seattle twice has played 20-inning games.

Soriano hit his 10th homer of the season to left off Jamie Moyer (6-3). Hank Blalock led off the 18th with a single, his third hit in nine at-bats.

The game lasted 5 hours, 47 minutes — 43 minutes longer than the first two games of the series combined.

“When you lose a game like this, it takes something out of you,” Mariners manager Bob Melvin said.

The comeback had the opposite effect on the Rangers.

“Wins like that are a huge boost to the morale,” said Brian Shouse (1-0), who recorded two outs for his first win in 112 career games.

Texas, which also swept Seattle in a three-game series in April, extended the majors’ longest winning streak to six games. It also is the longest of the season for the AL West leader.

Texas' Alfonso Soriano is congratulated by manager Buck Showalter and teammates after hitting a game-winning home run against Seattle. The Rangers defeated the Mariners, 9-7 in 18 innings, Thursday in Arlington, Texas.

Moyer, who had been scheduled to start tonight against San Diego, took over in the 15th. His first relief appearance after 251 straight starts since June 27, 1996, came after J.J. Putz pitched four innings. It was Moyer’s first loss in relief since April 1990, with Texas.

The Rangers tied the game in the ninth when Brad Fullmer hit a one-out double off closer Eddie Guardado and scored on the single by Teixeira, who was later thrown out trying to score winning run.

Devil Rays 19, Blue Jays 13

Toronto — A day after its club-record 12 game winning streak ended, Tampa Bay set team records for runs and hits in a rout of Toronto. Jose Cruz Jr., Carl Crawford and Geoff Blum homered for the Devil Rays, who finished with 24 hits, three more than their previous mark, set July 24 at Boston. The old club record for runs was 15. Julio Lugo went 5-for-7 to set a team record for hits, and Tampa Bay tied its record with 11 walks. Cruz hit his 165th career homer, matching his father’s total. Jose Cruz Sr. played 18 seasons in the major leagues.

Athletics 2, Angels 1

Anaheim, Calif. — Mark Mulder matched his career best by winning his seventh straight decision, and Jermaine Dye hit a two-run homer that led Oakland over Anaheim. Mulder (9-2) pitched his major-league-leading fourth complete game, allowing four hits. He struck out four and walked three as Oakland gained a split of the four-game series.

White Sox 7, Indians 1

Chicago — Jon Rauch stuck around long enough to give Chicago an elusive win from a No. 5 starter. The 6-foot-11 righty atoned for an earlier episode when he left the clubhouse before a game was over and, helped by Aaron Rowand’s great catch, led the White Sox past Cleveland.

In his only other start this year, Rauch (1-1) was roughed up by Anaheim on May 29. Not only did he lose that game to the Angels, he lost the respect of his teammates and angered general manager Kenny Williams with an early exit from the locker room.

Twins 4, Red Sox 3, 10 innings

Boston — Lew Ford hit a sacrifice fly following a two-base error by Nomar Garciaparra in the 10th inning, and Minnesota beat Boston. Keith Foulke (2-1) started the 10th by getting Cristian Guzman to hit a hard grounder up the middle. Garciaparra raced over from shortstop and fielded it, then spun around and fired the ball past first baseman Kevin Millar into the Boston dugout. Guzman took third on Jose Offerman’s sacrifice, then scored on Ford’s fly to left fielder Manny Ramirez.

Yankees 5, Orioles 2

Baltimore — Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter homered to back a solid pitching performance by Javier Vazquez, and New York beat Sidney Ponson and Baltimore. Rodriguez hit a two-run shot in the third inning to tie the game, and Jeter gave the Yankees the lead for good with a two-run drive in the fifth. Both homers came off Ponson (3-10).