Angels handle Mariners in home opener
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Jesse Chavez gave up four hits in 5 2/3 innings, Cameron Maybin and Kole Calhoun hit home runs and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Seattle Mariners 5-1 in their home opener Friday night at Angel Stadium.
For Chavez, the start was his first as an Angel and his first in the majors since Sept. 11, 2015, when he was a member of the Oakland A's. He pitched out of the bullpen last season for Toronto and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
He shut out the Mariners through five innings, then allowed a two-out RBI single by Nelson Cruz in the sixth before calling it a night.
He got help from the bullpen -- Jose Alvarez, Bud Norris, Andrew Bailey and Blake Parker -- who combined to shut down Seattle for the final 3 1/3 innings.
Maybin, another Angels newcomer, hit his first home run with his new team, getting ahold of a pitch from Mariners starter Yovani Gallardo (0-1) in the sixth inning for a solo homer to give the Angels a 3-1 lead.
Calhoun's two-run homer in the seventh off Seattle reliever Casey Fien gave the Angels some breathing room. The Angels had 11 hits in all, including three from Yunel Escobar.
The Angels got something going in the first inning against Mariners starter Yovani Gallardo, with Yunel Escobar hitting a single and advancing to third on a double by Calhoun.
Trout followed with a sacrifice fly, but Gallardo escaped further damage.
Singles by Martin Maldonado and Escobar put the Angels in business in the third inning. After Calhoun struck out, the Mariners decided to walk Mike Trout intentionally, loading the bases for Albert Pujols.
The move seemed to pay off when Pujols, who was just 1-for-17 to start the season, hit a routine chopper to Kyle Seager at third base. But instead of starting an inning-ending double play, Seager lost his grip on the ball and dropped it for an error.
Maldonado scored to put the Angels up 2-0, but Gallardo worked his way out of the inning, getting a strikeout of C.J. Cron and inducing a groundout from Maybin.
Meanwhile, Chavez cruised through the early innings. Through five, Chavez allowed only a walk to Jean Segura in the first and single to Mike Zunino in the fifth.
NOTES: Angels RHP Garrett Richards was placed on the 10-day disabled list after being diagnosed with a strained right biceps. He left his start Wednesday against Oakland after 4 2/3 scoreless innings after feeling "cramping" in his arm. An MRI revealed no issues with his elbow, which was deemed healed with stem cell therapy after he suffered a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament last year. "It's the best thing we could have hoped for," Richards said. He is eligible to be activated April 16. ... Mariners OF Guillermo Heredia got his first start of the season, replacing struggling CF Leonys Martin, who went 1-for-16 in Seattle's first four games. Heredia started in left field, moving OF Jarrod Dyson from left to center. Heredia went 0-for-3.