Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - Jarrod Saltalamacchia roped the game-winning hit to the gap in right-center, as Texas rallied for two runs in the ninth to clip the Blue Jays, 5-4, in their 2010 opener from Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
Nelson Cruz doubled home Michael Young to tie the game at four and poked a game-tying three-run homer in the seventh off Shaun Marcum, who had entered the inning with a no-hitter still intact.
Texas' newest addition to an already potent lineup, Vladimir Guerrero, broke up the no-hitter with a base hit with one away in the bottom of the seventh and finished 2-for-3 with a run scored for the Rangers, who enter 2010 with high expectations after an 87-win season and a near miss at qualifying for the postseason.
The ninth-inning rally made a winner of Frank Francisco (1-0), who struck out two in a scoreless top half of the frame. Scott Feldman, making his first Opening Day start, put together a quality seven-inning outing with three runs allowed on five hits.
Marcum, who missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery, made a rousing return with a sublime performance until a bumpy seventh. The 28- year-old right-hander gave up just the two hits over seven frames, walked one and struck out six.
Vernon Wells had a two-run homer and was 3-for-4 with three RBI. Adam Lind also homered and had three hits, scoring twice for the Blue Jays, who suffered through a disappointing 87-loss campaign in 2009 and dealt staff ace Roy Halladay to Philadelphia in the offseason.
Jason Frasor (0-1) came out for the ninth and gave up four hits, leading to the tying and go-ahead runs for Texas.
Young started the home ninth with a double to the gap in right-center, and Frasor got Josh Hamilton looking at strike three for the first out. Guerrero nearly plated a run with a ball back up the middle that was knocked down to leave runners at the corners for Cruz, who roped a double to right to score Young.
Guerrero moved up a base and was replaced by a pinch-runner, and Frasor gave Chris Davis the intentional free pass to bring up the switch-hitting Saltalamacchia with one out.
He worked the count full and turned on a sweeping curveball to plate the winning run and give new owner and team president Nolan Ryan an Opening Day victory at home.
Wells followed a single by Lind in the game’s first frame with a two-run blast to left-center, and Lind belted a two-out solo shot in the third to stake Marcum to a three-run lead.
Marcum hit Guerrero with a pitch to start the second and Young reached on an error in the fourth, but the Rangers were otherwise handled by the Jays’ new No. 1 starter until the seventh.
Hamilton walked with one away and Guerrero shattered the no-hit bid with a flared single that dropped in front of Jose Bautista in shallow right field.
Cruz then muscled a 2-2 fastball low and away over the right-field fence to break up the shutout and Marcum’s chance for a win with the game tied at three.
Neftali Feliz came on for Feldman in the eighth and loaded the bases with a pair of walks around an Aaron Hill double. Wells sent a single through the left side to give the Jays a 4-3 edge. Darren Oliver entered and limited the damage by fanning Lyle Overbay for the second out and inducing a pop fly from John Buck.
Jays Fans Stay Positive After Ugly Loss
You can’t win ‘em all, Jays fans. But you can take a positive spin on the situation even though your team blew it in the ninth inning:
More positive thoughts for the Jays: not every game can be like this one. That’s impossible.
Read Article >Marcum No-Hits Rangers For 6 Innings, But Texas Wins In A Walk Off
Marcum, who missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery, made a rousing return with a sublime performance until a bumpy seventh. The 28- year-old right-hander gave up just the two hits over seven frames, walked one and struck out six.
He worked the count full and turned on a sweeping curveball to plate the winning run and give new owner and team president Nolan Ryan an Opening Day victory at home.
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