Seattle, WA (SportsNetwork.com) - After allowing a first-inning solo homer to reigning American League MVP Mike Trout, Felix Hernandez settled in and dominated in the Seattle Mariners' 4-1 Opening Day win over the Los Angeles Angels.
Hernandez (1-0) followed the home run by retiring nine straight batters, and he finished with one run allowed on two hits and a walk in seven innings. The former Cy Young Award winner struck out 10.
"He had his good stuff today," said Trout. "Every time we face him, it's a battle."
Seth Smith, acquired by Seattle in an offseason trade with San Diego, had three hits -- all for extra bases -- and drove in two runs.
Dustin Ackley hit a solo homer off Jered Weaver and Austin Jackson added two hits, including a double.
The Angels, winners of the AL West in 2014, turned to Weaver (0-1) on Opening Day for the seventh time. He exited after six innings, having allowed four runs on eight hits with a strikeout and no walks.
After Kole Calhoun struck out to begin the game, Trout worked an eight- pitch at-bat before hitting a solo home run to center field to open the scoring.
Weaver had retired seven in a row before running into two-out trouble in the third. Jackson roped a double down the left-field line and Smith drove him in with a triple past a diving Calhoun. Robinson Cano then knocked the first pitch of his at-bat into center field to give Seattle a 2-1 lead.
"When you get guys on, we've got guys capable of driving them in," said Jackson.
The Angels finally picked up their second hit of the game when Erick Aybar singled to right field in the fifth. Hernandez then hit C.J. Cron in the elbow, but he would get out of trouble by striking out Chris Iannetta and inducing a ground-ball double play to Johnny Giavotella.
In the bottom of the fifth, Ackley drove a belt-high pitch into the right-field seats to put Seattle up 3-1. After Brad Miller singled and moved up to second base on a wild pitch, Smith hit a ground-rule double to the left-center gap to score him.
With Hernandez out of the game in the eighth, Los Angeles attempted a rally. With two runners on base and one out, Charlie Furbush came on to strike out Calhoun. Carson Smith was then summoned to face Trout, and he struck out him out as well to end the threat.
Logan Morrison was inches away from adding an insurance run for Seattle in the eighth, but Trout's leaping at the catch at the wall robbed him of a home run.
Fernando Rodney was called on in the ninth to record his first save and got Matt Joyce to ground out after he walked Albert Pujols. David Freese then grounded into a double play to end the game.
Game Notes
Seattle has won nine straight Opening Day games ... Hernandez made his eighth straight Opening Day start ... Smith is the first player in Mariners history to record three extra-base hits on Opening Day ... The Angels finished with just four hits ... Trout struck out three times ... Rodney led the majors with 48 saves in 2014.
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