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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, May 1, 2010

Rangers hold off Mariners in 12th

 •  A's Suzuki on DL with muscle strain



Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Seattle's Cliff Lee made his season debut, pitching seven scoreless innings in a 2-0 loss to Texas.

ELAINE THOMPSON | Associated Press

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SEATTLE — Cliff Lee was as fabulous as advertised in his Seattle debut. His curveball dipped and dazzled. Fastballs clipped each side of the plate. And a diving slider showed why he was the Mariners' prized acquisition from Philadelphia this winter.

"This team is known for pitching and defense," Lee said after he returned from injury to strike out eight Texas Rangers in seven scoreless innings last night. "And tonight was a perfect example of it."

Too true for Seattle.

Elvis Andrus scored on a wild pitch by Brandon League to break a scoreless tie in the 12th inning and Texas beat the offensively inept Mariners, 2-0, spoiling Lee's sterling season debut.

"Lee was probably as good as you can ask," Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said. "I mean, he was near perfect."

Julio Borbon's RBI groundout against League (3-2) came after moments after a throwing error by shortstop Matt Tuiasosopo, an extra-innings replacement for defensive whiz Jack Wilson.

Wilson came out when pinch-hitter Mike Sweeney hit into a rally-killing double play to end the 11th.

League, a Saint Louis alum from Hawai'i, had retired all six Rangers he'd faced in the 10th and 11th. But he had to keep pitching because Eric Byrnes, another late-game replacement, botched a suicide squeeze.

Frank Francisco (3-3) pitched the wild 11th for Texas before Neftali Feliz finished for his fourth save.

Texas starter Colby Lewis matched Lee, who allowed three hits in seven scoreless innings, and then exceeded him with nine scoreless innings in all. Lewis retired 21 consecutive batters and struck out 10 for the third time in five starts this season.

Lee threw 98 pitches, two below the limit the Mariners set for him.

ROYALS 3, RAYS 2

A fielding error by reliever Randy Choate led to two run in the top of the ninth inning, and Kansas City held on to beat first-place Tampa, when Evan Longoria's deep drive to left was caught at the wall for a sacrifice fly.

YANKEES 6, WHITE SOX 4

Derek Jeter hit a tying, two-run homer in the fifth, then blasted a tiebreaking two-run triple in the bottom of the seventh inning as New York opened a six-game homestand with its third consecutive win.

TIGERS 10, ANGELS 6

Scott Sizemore and Brennan Boesch hit their first career homers in an eight-run fourth inning, Gerald Laird added a solo shot, and a third rookie, Austin Jackson, went 5 for 5, to lead host Detroit over Los Angeles.

TWINS 9, INDIANS 3

Justin Morneau made an instant impact in his return to lineup, launching a two-run homer after missing two games with a stiff back. helping visiting Minnesota romp past Cleveland.

BLUE JAYS 10, ATHLETICS 2

Alex Gonzalez hit a three-run homer in the second and a solo shot shot in the sixth, and Vernon Wells also connected to power host Toronto past Oakland, which lost its sixth straight.

ORIOLES 5, RED SOX 4

Adam Jones doubled and scored on a two-out single by Miguel Tejada in the bottom of the 10th inning, giving Baltimore a victory over Boston. Tejada also hit a tying homer in the eighth.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

BRAVES 4, ASTROS 2

Jason Heyward hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the third inning and Tommy Hanson (2-2) gave up two runs in the second inning and then retired 20 of his last 21 batters to help host Atlanta end its nine-game losing streak.

METS 9, PHILLIES 1

Rod Barajas homered twice, David Wright and Jeff Francoeur also went deep, and Jonathon Niese (1-1) allowed one run and four hits over seven innings to lead visiting New York past Philadelphia for its eighth straight victory.

CUBS 11, DIAMONDBACKS 5

Alfonso Soriano hit a three-run homer and Kosuke Fukudome, Geovany Soto and Marlon Byrd added solo shots as host Chicago routed Arizona to stop a three-game skid.

NATIONALS 7, MARLINS 1

Ryan Zimmerman homered twice and Scott Olsen (2-1) pitched six scoreless innings, giving up five hits as visiting Washington beat Florida for its third straight victory.

DODGERS 6, PIRATES 2

Andre Ethier hit a two-run homer, James Loney had a three-run shot, and Chad Billingsley (2-1) allowed two runs over six innings, helping host Los Angeles snap a five-game skid.

PADRES 3, BREWERS 0

Clayton Richard (1-2) worked six innings and combined with three relievers for San Diego's fifth shutout, and Scott Hairston hit a two-run homer to beat Milwaukee.

GIANTS 5, ROCKIES 2

Barry Zito (4-0) won four straight decisions to start the season for the first time in his career, Aubrey Huff hit a two-run double and Juan Uribe had a two-run single, helping host San Francisco beat Colorado.

REDS 3, CARDINALS 2

Jay Bruce had three hits and two RBIs, leading visiting Cincinnati to its season-best fifth consecutive victory, while snapping St. Louis' five-game winning streak.

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