Cruz, Rangers rally to win season opener
Being no-hit through 6 1/3 innings of their game against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays and trailing 3-0, the Texas Rangers were on the verge of making their season and home opener memorable for all the wrong reasons.
But with a couple swings of the bat, they made it memorable for all the right ones.
Newcomer Vladimir Guerrero broke up Shaun Marcum’s no-hitter with a single, and Nelson Cruz delivered tw0 crucial hits to help the Rangers rally for a 5-4 win in front of a sellout crowd of 50,299.
After Marcum cruised through the first six innings, he surrendered a one-out walk to Josh Hamilton before Guerrero reached with the first hit of the game for Texas. Then Cruz, coming off a career season, delivered a game-tying three-run bomb.
Toronto bounced back in the eighth, getting a two-out RBI single from Vernon Wells to reclaim the lead. But in the ninth, Texas stormed back. Cruz came up with the goods again, hitting a one-out RBI double to tie the game at 4. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, Jarrod Saltalamacchia singled to deep right to give the Rangers the win.
Cruz finished 2 for 4 with 4 of the team’s 5 RBI. Starting pitcher Scott Feldman pitched seven strong innings, surrending three runs on five hits to earn a no-decision.
