Rangers bullpen blows another game in 9-5 loss to Mariners
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - The bullpen that was so good for Texas while winning the AL West last season is supposed to be even better.
Sure it's early, but Rangers relievers are off to a rough start this season.
Robinson Cano and the Seattle Mariners rallied late for the second game in less than 24 hours, this time doing most of the damage against closer Shawn Tolleson in a 9-5 win Wednesday to clinch the opening three-game series.
"I'd hope that we wouldn't panic in two games," manager Jeff Banister said.
Tolleson struck out two of the three batters he faced in a perfect ninth of the opener Monday that Texas won 3-2. In the series finale, he became the second Rangers reliever in as many days to allow five runs without recording an out.
"It stinks. We never want to go in and give up runs," Tolleson said. "We want to be a dominant bullpen."
Cano's second homer of the game, a two-run shot, capped the five-run outburst against Tolleson (0-1). Pinch-hitter Nori Aoki and No. 9 batter Ketel Marte started the rally with consecutive singles, and Leonys Martin had a tying RBI double before Kyle Seager's two-run single and Cano's fourth homer in the series.
"It was a good series. Not only because the way I ended up swinging the bat but the way we came back," Cano said. "Especially in that game and be able to win the series."
Joaquin Benoit (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth.
Texas starter Colby Lewis was down 3-0 after giving up a two-run homer to Cano in the first and a solo shot to Martin in the second.
But the 36-year-old right-hander got through the sixth without allowing another run and left the game with a 5-3 lead after Prince Fielder's first homer - a towering three-run shot into the upper deck of seats in right field after Lewis had thrown his last pitch.
The Rangers bullpen allowed 14 runs and 17 hits in only six innings the last two games of the series. Texas was tied 2-2 through six innings Tuesday night when starter Martin Perez departed, but lost 10-2.
"After two outings I'm not going to raise the red flag and being concerned," Banister said. "The three starters have given us three quality outings. We have to shore up, sharpen up and we'll get it going in the right direction."
RARE OCCURRENCE
Never before had the Rangers had pitchers in consecutive games allow five runs without recording an out. Tom Wilhelmsen allowed four hits and hit a batter in his Texas debut on Tuesday night.
EVERYBODY PLAYS
All 13 position players on the Rangers opening day roster got a start in the home series. The bottom four hitters in Wednesday's lineup were making their season debuts. That included Bryan Holaday, the former TCU catcher who was born in Dallas. He threw out both Seattle runners who tried to steal bases.
GOING DEEP
Seattle hit nine homers in the opening series. Cano homered in the first three games, the first Seattle player ever to do that.
ON THE FLY
Ian Desmond caught all three balls that came his way in his first big league start in center field. The former All-Star shortstop for Washington had no fly balls when playing his first two games for Texas in left field.
UP NEXT
Mariners: Seattle gets a day off before its home opener Friday night against Oakland. Taijuan Walker, who was 11-8 last season, is the scheduled starter.
Rangers: Left-hander Derek Holland, who got hurt in the first inning of his first start last season, is to take the mound Thursday night when Texas opens a four-game series at the Los Angeles Angels.
FIRST PITCHES
The Rangers had two ceremonial first pitches Thursday, one by 19-year-old NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Brandon Jones and another by 105-year-old Elizabeth Sullivan. The Rangers are sponsoring Jones' car this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Sullivan is a longtime Rangers fan who was asked her secret of longevity. "I have no idea," she said. "I don't take any medication 'cause they can't find anything wrong with me."