Lee pitches Rangers past M's

SEATTLE (AP) - Cliff Lee relished beating his former teammates.

Lee shut down the Mariners for eight innings in his first start in Seattle since a July trade, leading the first-place Texas Rangers to a 6-1 victory Saturday night.

"This is the first time I've got to play against a team that I played for previously," Lee said. "Anytime you get a chance to pitch against a team that you played for you obviously want to do well.

"I want to pitch well every time. But when it's against a team you played for there's a little extra incentive," he added. "

Lee (12-8) allowed six hits and struck out eight for his second consecutive win after three losses and a no decision.

The Mariners had runners on second and third with no outs in the fifth after Justin Smoak singled and Josh Bard doubled. But Lee retired the next three batters with a strikeout, popup and foul flyout to preserve a 3-0 lead.

"He comes right at you," Seattle manager Daren Brown said about Lee. "You know he is going to throw strikes. You know he is going to be around the plate. That makes him the guy that he is. Anytime he is on the other side, you know you've got a tough game in front of you."

Smoak, who was called up Saturday from Triple-A Tacoma, started at first and went 1 for 3 against Lee with a single.

Jason Vargas (9-11) took his sixth straight loss. He allowed nine hits and five runs in six innings.

Lee stopped Seattle a game after Felix Hernandez took a no-hitter into the eighth and beat the Rangers 2-1 on Friday night.

Lee went 8-3 with a 2.34 ERA in 13 starts for Seattle after being picked up in an offseason trade with Philadelphia. Lee is a free agent after this season.