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1-1 - Former Rangers sink Texas in season's second game

Nelson Cruz, Leonys Martin, and Luis Sardinas came back to bite the Rangers in 10-2 loss to Seattle

By ghostofErikThompson
D'oh.
D'oh.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Rangers had seven times as many hits as they had in yesterday's season opener but they scored one fewer run in their first loss of the season.

Here's the highlight of this one:

Martin Perez made his 2016 debut and actually had a similar outing as Cole Hamels had yesterday. Perez was erratic early and allowed a run in the second inning and then a solo home run to former Ranger Nelson Cruz in the fourth. However, while wrestling with an ever-evolving strike zone all night, Perez ended up going six innings and allowed just two hits and two runs despite walking four Mariners.

Perez did his part to keep Texas in the game until they could finally put together a rally on Hisashi Iwakuma. In the bottom of the fourth, the Rangers scored twice to tie the game on two-out RBI singles from Elvis Andrus and Robinson Chirinos.

In the top of the 7th, Tony Barnette made his Major League debut after returning to the states from a stint as a star closer in Japan. However, Barnette allowed a two-out RBI double to former Ranger Leonys Martin and Nori Aoki followed with an insurance run RBI single. For his efforts, Barnette picked up the loss but he'll have better days and can now call himself a Major Leaguer and that's pretty cool.

Oh, and then Tom Wilhelmsen allowed hundreds of runs against his former team and Andrew Faulkner gave up a dinger to former Ranger Luis Sardinas. Not a very good night for the new guys in the bullpen.

Texas closes out this season-opening series against Seattle tomorrow with Colby Lewis on the mound against Wade Miley. As a getaway game against their first left-handed combatant of the young season, we'll likely see guys like Ryan Rua and Justin Ruggiano get in on the action. Tomorrow's game is scheduled to begin at 1:05 pm CT.

Player of the Game: Chirinos went 2-4 with an RBI from the No. 9 spot in the lineup in the loss.