SOM Diary: Season opener Oakland A's at Texas Rangers 2:1

The A's take their opening series against the Rangers   with two wins clearly decided by struggling Texas pitching and a loss against Texas stalwart Yu Darvish.

Game 1: Starters bad, bullpens good: A's 7, Rangers 3

OAK 005 110 000 7 10 0 8
TEX 200 100 000 3 6 0 6

Both sides in the OAK-TEX season opener display the same pattern: starters struggling to get through the first innings, giving up hits and runs aplenty, and then solid bullpens taking over and essentially freezing the game in the state after four innings.

The Rangers come out of spring training blazing away on all barrels: Holland has back to back 1-2-3 innings backed by a strong infield, while the Rangers' bats greet AJ Griffin with two solo homers in the first by leadoff Ian Kinsler and short stop Adrian Beltre.

However, in the top of the third the bottom of the A's order hit back with a single from Seth Smith and a two run homer from Derek Norris to tie the game, and the A's continue to hit nearly uninterrupted - Donaldson makes it 5-2 with a three run long ball. Bottom of the third the Rangers continue to hit, loading the bases with one out, but Griffin pitches out of trouble with a forced play 1-2 and a flyout to center. After that the offensive fireworks peter out with just a few single runs being added by either team. The bullpens take over from Holland after 4+ innings and from AJ Griffin after six, and bring the game home without any big shifts in balance anymore.

Game 2: A's 1, Rangers 3

Three solo homers by Beltre, Cruz and Moreland were all it took for the Rangers to get by the A's in the second game of the series.
Rangers starter Yu Darvish got into trouble early and often, loading the bases with no outs in the second and with two outs in the first, but was saved by timely double plays from his defense each time. He allowed one run on six hits, seven strikeouts, five walks and hit one batter in 6.1 innings. Joe Nathan got the save with a clean 1-2-3 ninth.
Jarrod Parker went seven innings for the A's, only allowed six hits and not much else but took the loss as the Rangers made the most of their hits and prevented the A's from scoring after the second inning.

Game 3: Texas pitchers are losing it: A's 9, Rangers 1

The series finale was decided by struggling Rangers pitchers and solid Oakland hitting (9 hits including three doubles, and a homerun from Brandon Moss).
Top of the fourth, Alexi Ogando is struggling with his control: with one out and rightfielder Josh Reddick on first base, catcher Norris is hit by a pitch and has to be replaced by John Jaso; Reddick advances on a flyout to left from Brandon Moss and scores on a wild pitch that also advances Jaso to second. Eric Sogard scores Jaso on an RBI single, steals second, advances to 3rd on another wild pitch and then scores on a balk from Ogando, who then gets out of the inning by inducing a lucky flyout from Coco Crisp.
In the eighth, Ross Wolf comes in for Ogando but fails to record a single out while giving up four runs on three hits and a rare two base fielding error by Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus.

SOM Diary: Opening series Angels@Mariners

Game 1: 4-0 Pitchers' duel in a pitchers' park

LAA 000 010 003 4 7 2 5
SEA 000 000 000 0 2 0 3

Both starters go deep into the game and see several long flyballs picked off just before they leave the ballpark. Iwakuma takes the loss despite  quality start of 7.2 innings, allowing just 3 hits and a run (a solo homer by the catcher Hank Conger) on 4 strikeouts and three walks.

The loss looks higher than it was because the Mariners' bullpen gives up another three runs in the top of the ninth. CJ Wilson pitches eight shutout innings, giving up just one hit and two walks with ten strikeouts for the win. Conger has a field day, going 3 for 4 with a homerun and a double.

Game 2: 6-9 Just the opposite...

LAA 120 021 000 6 12 0 8
SEA 000 251 10- 9 14 0 7

In stark contrast to game 1, both starters struggle. Thanks to better offense and an LA pitching meltdown in the fifth that sees ten batters come to the plate, Felix Hernandez comes out with a win despite giving up all six of the Angels' runs.

Jered Weaver lasts just 4+ innings and leaves a tied game in the fifth, but Hansen fails badly in an attempt to provide long relief, giving up three hits, a walk and two runs in a long fifth to come away with the loss. Tom Wilhelmsen earns a close save, recording the last two outs with back to back K's after walking two.

Both teams get two homeruns. For the Angels, Ianetta and Callaspo hit a homerun each while Hank Conger continues to be on a roll, going 3 for 4 with a walk and missing just a homerun for the cycle.
For the Mariners, Justin Smoak homers in the sixth after hitting into double plays twice in the first and third. Michael Saunders hits 3 for 4 with three RBIs and is just a single shy of hitting for the cycle.

Game 3: Mariners take the series win

LAA 000 200 200 4 11 4 7
SEA 150 000 02- 8 11 0 7

Angels starter Jason Vargas struggled mightily, ans couldn't get out of the second inning after the Mariners hit around and scored six runs (five earned). The Angels' cause wasn't helped by the four errors committed by their defense, although their bullpen was able to stop the bleeding with good performances from Richards and Kohn.

The Mariners sealed their season opening series win with back to back homers from the bottom of their order in the eighth. Hank congers hot streak continues with another homer and a single for a 667/692/1500 triple slash line after three games.