 and knocking out the lefty that had dominated Seattle in the past. Sale was done after just three innings while the Mariners were just getting started on their big offensive day.Beckham did the most damage, hitting a solo homer in the second and following up in the third with a two-run shot to center field. The infielder was hitless in 15 career at-bats with nine strikeouts against Sale before hitting his second and third home runs of the season.Edwin Encarnacion added a solo shot off Sale as part of a four-run third inning. Ryon Healy and Domingo Santana both homered off Boston's bullpen as Seattle finished with five long balls.Santana has nine RBIs in three games, the most in team history after the first three games of a season. He had 20 RBIs in 85 games last year with Milwaukee.Sale had overpowered Seattle the last three times he faced the Mariners, with double-digit strikeouts in all three outings. And it appeared he was headed for another dominant performance that would have delighted the numerous red-clad fans that showed up at T-Mobile Park to see the world champs. Sale struck out the side with ease in the first inning.His opening day outing fell apart quickly from there.Beckham's homer started Sale's problems, but it was his inability to finish off the second inning that raised his pitch count and led to two runs. Sale issued a two-out walk to David Freitas, gave up a single to Dee Gordon and hit Mitch Haniger with a pitch to load the bases.Santana drove in a pair with a double into the right-field corner, and further damage was averted when Haniger was thrown out at the plate. But Sale was already on a limited pitch count and was pulled after giving up four more runs in the third and reaching 76 pitches.Seattle starter Marco Gonzales (2-0) was shaky early, but pitched into the sixth and allowed three earned runs to pick up his second victory. Boston had nine hits off Gonzales, but very little solid contact until the sixth inning when doubles by Eduardo Nunez and Christian Vazquez led to a pair of runs and ended Gonzales' day.BELT IT LIKE BECKHAMBeckham became the first player to hit two home runs in a game off Sale since Josh Donaldson on Sept. 26, 2017. Beckham had his fourth two-homer game and first since May 4, 2017, vs. Miami when both homers came off Dan Straily.Beckham has reached base in 10 of his 14 plate appearances.TRAINER'S ROOMRed Sox: Boston manager Alex Cora remained uncertain whether Steve Pearce (calf) will be ready to join the club when his stint on the injured list is up. Pearce did not play at extended spring training Thursday but was expected to get at-bats on Friday. ... Dustin Pedroia (left knee) went 1 for 4 as the DH at extended spring. Cora said the club needs to see how Pedroia reacts to playing on a daily basis before having conversations about his next move.UP NEXTRed Sox: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (6-7, 3.81 ERA) went 5-4 in 18 appearances last season after being acquired by Boston, including the postseason.Mariners: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (0-0) will make his anticipated home debut for Seattle. Kikuchi threw 4 2/3 innings in the team's second game in Tokyo, allowing one earned run, but failed to make it through the fifth.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Defending champion Red Sox open season against Mariners When the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox travel to Seattle for their season opener Thursday, they'll face the team with the best record in the majors.No, really.The Seattle Mariners started their season last week, sweeping the Oakland Athletics in a two-game series in Japan.That puts the Mariners at 2-0, the Athletics at 0-2 and the rest of baseball still at 0-0.The series also was the finale for outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, who announced his retirement in his native country."I thought it would be great for our team, just bringing so many new guys, bringing everybody together," Mariners manager Scott Servais said. "The travel, going to a different country, you tend to gravitate towards everybody else you're familiar with. Then to top it off with everything that went down with Ichiro. Really couldn't have gone any better -- and by the way, we did win two games. That kind of gets overlooked." Left-hander Marco Gonzales is scheduled to start Thursday for the Mariners against Boston lefty Chris Sale.Gonzales also started the first game in Japan, breaking teammate Felix Hernandez's streak of taking the mound in 10 straight openers, and got the victory. In a 9-7 game, Gonzales went six innings, allowing seven hits and four runs (three earned), with one walk and four strikeouts. Most of the damage came on home runs by Oakland's Khris Davis and Stephen Piscotty.Gonzales threw only 69 pitches and did not allow a run over his final three innings."I'm always going to want another inning," Gonzales told the Seattle Times. "The competitor in me says yes, but I understand where we are at in the season. This is the first one. It's something to build off of." The key hit in the opener was a grand slam by newcomer Domingo Santana.The Mariners have plenty of new faces. General manager Jerry Dipoto opted for a "step back" plan in the offseason, trading away Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz, Jean Segura, Mike Zunino and James Paxton and letting Nelson Cruz walk as a free agent. The moves were made to replenish a farm system near the bottom of most rankings and put Seattle in place to contend in the 2020s.The Red Sox are ready to win now, just as they did last season.Sale was signed to a five-year, $145 million contract extension last weekend and then went out and pitched five scoreless innings against Pittsburgh in an exhibition game, allowing two hits and a walk while striking out six."We saw it last year," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Sale. "He started Opening Day and he started every (Game 1 in the postseason) after that. He's our Opening Day starter (again in 2019). Everyone knows how good he is and what he brings to the table, not only on the field but off the field. He's one of the best." Sale (12-4, 2.11 ERA in 2018) is 6-1 with a 1.88 ERA in 11 career appearances against the Mariners, including nine starts. Gonzales (13-9, 4.00 last season) lost his only previous start against the Red Sox, allowing five runs and seven hits in six innings.The Red Sox also feature reigning American League MVP Mookie Betts and J. D. Martinez, who took home Silver Slugger awards at two positions last season.Boston will be without first baseman Steve Pearce, the World Series MVP. He will begin the season on the injured list because of a left calf injury. Sam Travis will take his spot on the roster.--Field Level Media
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