Rangers 3, Mariners 2
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers took advantage of two Seattle Mariners errors in the fifth inning to score three times on just one hit to edge the Mariners 3-2 on Monday.
The Texas win snapped a nine-game Opening Day winning streak for the Mariners.
Seattle ace Felix Hernandez didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning and could have gotten out of that inning unscathed if it weren't for the defense behind him.
Hernandez walked Rougned Odor to lead off the inning with the Mariners up 2-0, and after Odor stole second, Elvis Andrus hit a grounder to third. Seattle's Kyle Seager, who hit a solo homer in the second, booted the ball to put runners on the corners.
A one-out walk loaded the bases for Shin-Soo Choo, who drew a walk to force in a run and cut Seattle's lead to 2-1. Prince Fielder tied the game with an RBI bloop single to left to keep the bases loaded. Hernandez, who was making his eighth-straight Opening Day start, appeared to get out of the inning when Adrian Beltre hit a potential double-play grounder to short, but Ketel Marte couldn't handle the ball and Delino DeShields scored to put Texas up 3-2.
The Fielder single ended up being the only hit the Rangers had in the game.
Texas left-hander Cole Hamels (1-0) allowed a first-inning homer to Robinson Cano and the homer to Seager in the second, but that was it. He pitched seven innings, allowing just four hits and the two runs while striking out eight. Shawn Tolleson picked up his first save with a perfect ninth.
Hernandez gave up just the Fielder single in six innings. He struck out six and walked five and was charged with three runs (one earned). He's now 6-1 in season openers.
NOTES: Texas 3B coach Tony Beasley will be in the dugout as he continues to undergo treatment for rectal cancer. Spike Owen is serving as the interim third base coach. ... Texas OF Josh Hamilton will head to Arizona Thursday when the Rangers begin their first road trip of the season. There is a chance Hamilton, who is rehabbing from left knee surgery, could begin rehab assignment when the club returns to town April 14. ... LHP Cole Hamels was the eighth different starter the Rangers have used on Opening Day in the last eight years. The last time a Texas pitcher started consecutive openers was Kevin Millwood in 2007 and 2008. ... Seattle RHP Felix Hernandez continued to add to his record for Opening Day starts for the Mariners. Monday's was the ninth for Hernandez. Hall of Famer Randy Johnson is second on the list with five Seattle starts. ... The Mariners opted to start Nelson Cruz in right field with Franklin Gutierrez at designated hitter. Cruz was the Seattle DH 72 times last season but manager Scott Servais is trying to keep Gutierrez healthy. He has been limited to 140 games since the start of 2012 because of injuries.