MINNEAPOLIS — That expected regression from the Mariners’ supposedly unsustainable success in one-run games last season?
Well, it will have to wait until at least Game 2 of the 2022 season.
Following a pattern that led them to 90 wins in 2021, including a 33-19 record in games decided by one, the Mariners opened this season filled with expectations of the postseason and more with a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
On a day where a steady wind gusting over 15 mph pushed on-field temperatures into the low 30s, left-hander Robbie Ray, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner and the Mariners’ top free-agent acquisition in the offseason, delivered a solid performance in his first career opening day start.
Pitching without long sleeves and his signature form-fitting pants, and wanting to “set the tone,” for the rest of the season, Ray battled through seven innings, allowing one run on three hits with four walks and five strikeouts.
Not bad for a Mariners debut considering a shortened spring training that limited pitchers to only four starts. No starting pitcher in Major League Baseball had pitched seven complete innings yet this season. And only four others have pitched into the seventh inning thus far.
Manager Scott Servais joked before the game that Ray probably wanted to throw at least 120 pitches in his first outing.
Ray became the fourth pitcher Mariners history to toss at least seven innings while allowing one run or fewer on opening day. Felix Hernandez did it five times in his career as did in Randy Johnson in 1993 and Mike Moore in 1983.
Ray was introduced to what used to be the Hernandez-level of run support. Seattle spotted him a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run homer from Mitch Haniger and provided nothing more over the next eight innings.
Ray’s one run allowed came in the third inning when Gio Urshela golfed a low curveball that didn’t look to be a strike over the wall in left-center for a solo homer to cut the lead to 2-1.
Ray pitched with base runners in all but two of his seven innings but was able to pick up a pair of much-needed doubles plays, one of which he started, and notched timely strikeouts to not allow more runs.
The Mariners turned to relievers Paul Sewald to close out Ray’s hard work.
Paul Sewald worked a scoreless eighth, and Drew Steckenrider closed it out for the save.
There was some level of drama for Steckenrider, who allowed a leadoff single and then watched as Gary Sanchez’s towering fly ball to left field was caught by Jesse Winker while leaning up against the wall to end the game.
