Rangers 5, Mariners 3
Michael Young went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs as host Texas took three of four from Seattle.
Derek Holland (1-0) worked 7 1/3 strong innings for the Rangers to improve to 6-1 lifetime against the Mariners. The left-hander allowed two runs on five hits while striking out eighth and not walking a batter.
Ian Kinsler also had three hits for Texas, including an RBI single in the seventh after Seattle had cut a three-run deficit to 3-2, to raise his batting average to .370.
Mariners starter Jason Vargas (1-1), in his third outing of the season, was charged with four runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. He fanned seven and walked one.
Young staked Holland to a 3-0 lead with an RBI single in the first and his first homer, a two-run blast to right field in the fifth.
Seattle chipped away with single runs in the sixth and seventh on Alex Liddi's RBI single and Kyle Seager's towering solo homer.
Texas answered with two runs in the bottom of the seven on Kinsler's RBI double and Young's run -scoring single off reliever Erasmo Ramirez.
Miguel Olivo had an RBI double in the ninth off Mike Adams, who worked the ninth for his first save.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Young has tormented Vargas throughout his career. He improved to 12-for-27 (.444) against him lifetime and has 107 career RBIs against Seattle. Vargas has surrendered 11 homers in 64 1/3 innings against the Rangers. ... Kinsler, who finalized a five-year, $75 million contract extension Wednesday, had his fourth multi-hit game of the season. ... Holland went 3-0 against the Mariners in 2011.