One swing of the bat from designated hitter Nelson Cruz in the bottom of the first inning proved to be all of the offense the Seattle Mariners needed against the Cleveland Indians in the opening game of the 2018 regular season at Safeco Field in Seattle Thursday night.
Cruz’s two-run home run gave the Mariners (1-0) more than enough cushion as the Indians (0-1) struggled to string together hits against Seattle ace Felix Hernandez and a steady diet of relievers in the final four innings of play on the way to a tough-luck 2-1 loss.
PHOTOS: Cleveland Indians open 2018 regular season at Seattle Mariners
The Mariners took the early lead when they got back-to-back two-out hits in the bottom half of the first inning off of Indians starter Corey Kluber, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner.
On a first-pitch curveball that stayed over the heart of the plate, second baseman Robinson Cano singled to the wall in right field, but was limited to just one base when Indians outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall read the bounce correctly and fired a throw into second.
However, Cruz brought around Cano just one batter later.
After swinging and missing at a first-pitch changeup, Cruz put a charge into cut fastball that tailed back toward middle of the plate and drove it just out of the reach of Indians center fielder Bradley Zimmer and over the wall for Seattle’s first two runs of the regular season.
Whoa, Nelly, that ball had a lot of hang time. #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/PvSZ6HgvIC
Despite not getting their first hit of the season until the top of the third inning, the Indians had multiple chances to chip away at Seattle’s 2-0 lead, starting in the second when designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion reached on catcher’s interference and catcher Yan Gomes drew a walk two batters later, but after a questionable called first strike, left fielder Tyler Naquin struck out swinging.
In the top of the fourth inning, Encarnacion hit a one-out single to right-center field, but Chisenhall grounded into an inning-ending 6-3 double play.
The Indians had a similar situation in the top of the sixth inning when second baseman Jason Kipnis drew a one-out walk, but third baseman Jose Ramirez grounded into an inning-ending 3-6-3 double play.
The Indians got their first run of the season with a two-out rally in the top of the seventh inning.
Chisenhall ignited the rally when he smacked a 2-1 pitch from former Indians reliever Marc Rzepczynski to the wall in right field and came around to score when Gomes flared a single to center field that landed in-between three Mariners defenders. Naquin got the tying run into scoring position with a single to left field, but Zimmer lined out to first to end the threat.
In the top of the ninth inning, the Indians got the go-ahead run in scoring position, but were unable to get a hit to even the score or take the lead.
Encarnacion reached base when he was hit by a pitch from Mariners reliever Edwin Diaz, and pinch runner Rajai Davis moved into scoring position when Diaz was called for a balk for not coming to a stop after setting up on the mound. Then, Chisenhall was awarded first base after the Indians challenged a call at home plate and a replay review showed he was hit on the left leg by a pitch.
Davis stole third base, and later, Chisenhall took second, but Gomes and Naquin each struck out swinging to end the game.
Despite taking the loss, Kluber scattered six hits, two earned runs and one walk against eight strikeouts over eight innings of work.
