Rougned Odor is congratulated by Prince Fielder after scoring Monday on a bases-loaded walk to Shin-Soo Choo.
For the second year in a row, the Rangers managed just one hit in their season opener while the Texas starter put his team in an early hole by giving up a first-inning homer.
But unlike the 2015 opener (an 8-0 defeat to Oakland), Texas was able to manufacture some runs Monday afternoon against Seattle’s Felix Hernandez in a 3-2 comeback victory over the Mariners at Globe Life Park.
Left-hander Cole Hamels allowed a solo home run to Robinson Cano just three batters into the game before noted Ranger-killer Kyle Seager followed with a shot of his own in the top of the second, giving Seattle a quick 2-0 advantage.
Hernandez hit Texas leadoff batter Delino DeShields with a pitch but otherwise cruised through his first four innings of work, and Hamels settled down after his rocky start to keep the Mariners from adding to their lead.
Texas mounted its rally in the bottom of the fifth inning when Rougned Odor drew a leadoff walk against Hernandez and later moved to third base on a fielding error by Seager, which allowed Elvis Andrus to reach first.
Hernandez then issued consecutive walks to DeShields and Shin-Soo Choo to force home Odor with the Rangers’ first run of the season, and Prince Fielder tied the game with a bloop single into left field – the only hit Texas got all day.
With the bases still loaded and one out, Adrian Beltre hit a ground ball to shortstop Ketel Marte that could have been turned into a double play and ended the inning. Instead, Marte booted the ball for an error while DeShields came home to score the go-ahead run.
Hamels finished the day with eight strikeouts and turned the ball over to southpaw Jake Diekman after seven quality innings. Diekman worked a scoreless top of the eighth, and closer Shawn Tolleson struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth to nail down the save.
Monday’s contest marked the second time in club history that Texas won a game despite getting just one hit. It first happened on July 27, 1993, when Rafael Palmeiro’s solo home run off Kansas City starter Kevin Appier gave the Rangers a 1-0 victory (although they were outhit by the Royals, 9-1).
Unfortunately for Texas, the relief performances on Monday seemed an aberration by the end of the series, as Seattle battered what was supposed to be a strong Rangers bullpen both Tuesday and Wednesday.
After Texas had rallied from another early deficit and tied Tuesday’s game at 2-2, right-hander Tony Barnette was given a rude welcome in his major-league debut, allowing two runs on three hits before he was pulled.
Trailing 4-2 in the top of the eighth, Tom Wilhelmsen was summoned to face his former team and failed to record an out. The Mariners had already collected four straight hits off Wilhelmsen – two doubles and two homers – when he hit Chris Iannetta with the first pitch of his at-bat.
Wilhelmsen was immediately ejected by home-plate umpire Marvin Hudson, and Rangers manager Jeff Banister was soon caught up in a brief but intense shouting match with first-year Seattle skipper Scott Servais.
New pitcher Andrew Faulkner was then greeted with a two-run home run from former Texas infielder Luis Sardinas, putting the wraps on an ugly 10-2 defeat.
The Mariners saved their late-game power surge for the ninth inning on Wednesday afternoon, turning a 5-4 deficit into a 9-5 victory with five unanswered runs off Shawn Tolleson.
Ramos Accepts Assignment to Minors
In making their final roster cuts of the spring, the Rangers assigned left-hander Cesar Ramos to Triple-A Round Rock after deciding not to use him in the big-league starting rotation to begin the season.
Although he could have opted out of his minor-league contract and tried to catch on with a different team, Ramos accepted the assignment and will be with the Express when they open their season Thursday in Iowa.
Right-hander A.J. Griffin was also assigned to Triple-A, but he is expected to get recalled when Texas needs its fifth starter later this week in Anaheim.
Owen Fills in for Beasley during Treatment
As he did for much of spring training, former big-league infielder Spike Owen has picked up the in-game duties of third-base coach while Tony Beasley continues to undergo treatment for rectal cancer.
The 54-year-old Owen has worked in the Texas organization since 2009 and was originally slated to manage the Low-A Hickory Crawdads this season.
Texas Sends Freeman to Brewers
One week after being designated for assignment by the Rangers, left-handed reliever Sam Freeman was traded to Milwaukee on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations.
Freeman made 54 appearances out of the Texas bullpen last year, posting an ERA of 3.05 while holding opponents to a .218 batting average.
Nate's Notes 
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