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SEATTLE — Tyler O’Neill set some unlikely baseball historical past on opening day within the stadium he visited virtually yearly as a child rising up in British Columbia. And it got here towards the crew that drafted him greater than a decade in the past.
“Baseball is a humorous recreation,” O’Neill mentioned. “It brings every part residence like that.”
O’Neill homered in his fifth straight opening day recreation to set a significant league report and helped the Boston Pink Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 6-4 on Thursday evening.
Rafael Devers homered and doubled off Seattle ace Luis Castillo, however it was O’Neill’s homer on the primary pitch from Cody Bolton within the eighth inning that gave the Pink Sox a 6-4 lead and made historical past.
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O’Neill homered the earlier 4 opening days with St. Louis, tying him with Todd Hundley (1994-97), Gary Carter (1977-80) and Yogi Berra (1955-58). He was a prime prospect within the Mariners group earlier than being traded to St. Louis in 2017.
And it got here in entrance of a giant contingent of household and buddies from British Columbia who made the journey right down to see O’Neill’s first recreation in a Pink Sox uniform.
“You all the time need to kick the season off with a bang,” O’Neill mentioned. “Fortuitously, I’ve been in a position to do it a pair instances in row now. Simply having lots of enjoyable on the market.”
The homers and a few stable pitching helped Boston supervisor Alex Cora take pleasure in his first opening day win as a supervisor.
Devers hit an opposite-field two-run homer on an elevated fastball from Castillo within the third inning and his one-out double within the fifth helped result in one other run for Boston. Connor Wong added a two-out RBI single within the sixth on a pitch effectively off the plate.
“He was in a position to drive the ball to left-centre, one thing that he wasn’t in a position to do final 12 months,” Cora mentioned of Devers. “That homer was spectacular.”
Boston starter Brayan Bello (1-0) pitched 5 innings and restricted the injury to Mitch Haniger’s two-run homer after he spent final season with San Francisco. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for the save after recording 29 final season for Boston.
Dylan Moore’s pinch-hit, two run homer within the seventh inning pulled Seattle inside 5-4, however that’s as shut as Seattle would get. Two of Seattle’s large offseason additions, Jorge Polanco and Mitch Garver, each skilled among the frustration that comes with enjoying at residence early within the season. Every hit deep fly balls that seemingly would have been homers of their former parks, however as an alternative turned outs.
“They obtained some hits with two outs, RBI hits, and people are big. They’re distinction makers,” Seattle supervisor Scott Servais mentioned. “Not the way in which we needed to start out. We’ve lots of video games to go. We’ve a great crew.”
Castillo (0-1) laboured by means of 5 innings as his management obtained away from him at instances, lacking with various borderline pitches. Castillo, who wanted 91 pitches to get by means of the fifth, gave up 4 runs and 6 hits.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Pink Sox: RHP Liam Hendriks was positioned on the 60-day IL as he continues restoration from Tommy John surgical procedure. … LHP Chris Murphy was additionally performed on the 60-day IL with a UCL sprain. … RHP Bryan Mata (hamstring) was positioned on the 15-day IL. … IF Vaughn Grissom (hamstring) and OF Rob Refsnyder (toe) have been positioned on the 10-day IL.
Mariners: IF/OF Sam Haggerty (undisclosed medical process) was positioned on the 10-day injured checklist to start the season. … RHPs Matt Brash (elbow pressure), Bryan Woo (elbow irritation), Gregory Santos (lat pressure) and Eduardo Bazardo (rotator cuff pressure) have been positioned on the 15-day IL. … Veteran IF Brian Anderson was launched, however agreed to a minor-league contract and was assigned to Triple-A Tacoma.
UP NEXT
A pair of right-handers will face off as Nick Pivetta begins for Boston whereas George Kirby takes the hill for Seattle.
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