ARLINGTON, Texas — Taijuan Walker pitched seven solid innings, Nelson Cruz had an RBI single against his former team and the Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 3-1 in a rain-delayed series opener Monday night.
Walker (1-2) struck out five and allowed only an unearned run.
The Rangers, on the same day they reacquired 2010 AL MVP and five-time All-Star slugger Josh Hamilton in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels, missed a chance to win consecutive games for the first time this season. Texas is the only AL team without consecutive victories.
After rain delayed the start of the game for 55 minutes, Yovani Gallardo (2-3) walked the first two batters.
There was a fielder’s choice grounder before Cruz put Seattle ahead to stay with his single through the right side of the infield. That was the majors-best 21st RBI for Cruz, who played in Texas from 2006-13.
Walker had a 2-0 lead before throwing a pitch. Another run scored on shortstop Elvis Andrus’ throwing error.
Fernando Rodney worked the ninth for his fifth save in six chances.
Gallardo allowed three runs and three hits with three walks and five strikeouts in six innings. He threw 101 pitches, 35 in the first inning.
Texas scored in a strange fourth. Carlos Peguero had a leadoff walk, but had to avoid being hit by Prince Fielder’s grounder before getting retired on the fielder’s choice. Adrian Beltre followed with a single, but he was out after getting hit on the base path by the grounder by Mitch Moreland, who was credited with a single.
Fielder was sent back to second base, but then scored on a throwing error by shortstop Brad Miller.
Seattle led 3-1 after Justin Ruggiano drew a two-out walk in the fifth, stole a base and scored on Seth Smith’s single.
Texas ended its 10-day, eight-game trip Sunday with a win at the Angels, ending a series played against the backdrop of Hamilton’s pending trade home.
That deal, with Hamilton going back to the Rangers for a player to be named or cash, was finally completed Monday. He was less than halfway through a $125 million, five-year contract, with the Angels paying most of the $80 million the slugger is still owed through 2017.
Hamilton, on the 15-day disabled list recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, reports Tuesday to the Rangers’ complex in Arizona for about 10 days. He will then play in some Triple-A games and could be activated the second half of May.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: RHP Nick Tepesch (right elbow inflammation) was transferred from the 15-day to 60-day DL to make room on the 40-man roster for Hamilton.
UP NEXT
Mariners: Austin Jackson, who lives in North Texas, will likely be back in the starting lineup Tuesday. Manager Lloyd McClendon was giving Seattle’s regular leadoff hitter a mental break, but put him in as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning Monday. Jackson has played in all 19 games, starting 17.
Rangers: Left-hander Ross Detwiler (0-2, 10.95 ERA in his first three starts for Texas) gets a chance to show if that extra work with pitching coach Mike Maddux pays off. Detwiler last started April 19 at Seattle, which hit three homers and scored five times off him in 2 1/3 innings.
