Dickey (3-6) had lost his previous three decisions but was in control against a lineup that entered the game with a team batting average of .282, best in the major leagues. He struck out two batters and walked one in 7 2/3 innings.
Dickey, a 33-year-old right-hander, was the Rangers’ first-round pick in 1996 and was with Texas for parts of five seasons. Arm problems forced him to begin throwing the knuckleball in July 2005, and the Rangers allowed him to become a free agent last year.
The Rangers loaded the bases without a hit in the first, but Dickey worked out of the jam by retiring David Murphy on a groundout. Dickey held Texas hitless until Josh Hamilton doubled leading off the fourth.
Ichiro Suzuki tripled, doubled and scored twice for the Mariners, who had lost nine of their previous 11 and seven of nine against the Rangers.
Ramon Vazquez homered and added three runs batted in for the Rangers, and Chris Davis went 3-for-4.
Texas rallied in the ninth, cutting into an 8-2 deficit on Vazquez’s RBI single and Frank Catalanotto’s two-run double. But Mariners closer J.J. Putz got the final two outs.
Seattle took a 2-0 lead in the first off Matt Harrison (2-2) on Raul Ibanez’s RBI double and Beltre’s RBI groundout. The Mariners got two in the second. Jamie Burke reached on an error and scored when Suzuki doubled and went to third on Murphy’s error. Suzuki raced home on Harrison’s wild pitch.
Seattle bumped the lead to 6-0 in the fourth when Miguel Cairo scored on a Jeremy Reed fielder’s choice, and Suzuki followed with a sacrifice fly.
