Felix Hernandez-backed Mariners beat Angels, 4-1, in season opener

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Right-hander Jered Weaver gave up four runs on eight hits in six innings of work as the Angels fell to the Seattle Mariners, 4-1.

(Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images)

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Seattle outfielder Nelson Cruz greets his teammates during introductions at the Mariners’ opening day game Monday against the Angels.

(Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)

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Albert Pujols greets his Angels teammates before their opening day game against the Seattle Mariners on Monday at Safeco Field.

(Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)

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Seattle pitcher Felix Hernandez throws the first pitch of the Mariners season Monday during his team’s home opener against the Angels.

(Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images)

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Mike Trout hits a home run in the first inning off of Seattle pitcher Felix Hernandez to give the Angels a 1-0 lead in their opening day game Monday against the Mariners.

(Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)

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Angels closer Huston Street (16) smiles as he glances down the line during team introductions before opening day against the Mariners.

(Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)

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Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez throws the first pitch of opening day Monday in Seattle against the Angels.

(Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)

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Jered Weaver pitches to Seattle outfielder Nelson Cruz during the fifth inning of the Angels’ 4-1 opening day loss to the Mariners at Safeco Field.

(Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)

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Seattle outfielder Dustin Ackley rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning.

(Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)

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Mike Trout reacts after striking out swinging during the fourth inning of the Angels’ 4-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

(Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)

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Mariners starting pitcher Felix Hernandez throws against the Angels on opening day in Seattle.

(Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)

By Mike DiGiovanna

Staff Writer

April 6, 2015 3:54 PM PT

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REPORTING FROM SEATTLE — Mike Trout crushed a solo home run to center field in his first at-bat of 2015 Monday, the second straight season in which the Angels center fielder homered off Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez in his first at-bat of the year.

And that was pretty much the extent of the Angels’ highlights on a cloudy, 54-degree afternoon in Safeco Field.

Hernandez, the 2010 American League Cy Young Award winner, was dominant for the rest of his seven-inning outing, allowing the one run and two hits, striking out 10 and walking one to lead the Mariners to a 4-1 victory.

The right-hander improved to 6-0 with a 1.49 earned-run average and 62 strikeouts in eight career opening-day starts.

The Angels, trailing, 4-1, threatened against the Mariners bullpen in the top of the eighth when Chris Iannetta and Johnny Giavotella singled off reliever Danny Farquhar with one out.

But left-hander Charlie Furbush struck out Kole Calhoun looking at a full-count fastball, and right-hander Carson Smith struck out Trout swinging at a 93-mph fastball, Trout’s third strikeout of the game.

Angels ace Jered Weaver, making his seventh career opening-day start, gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings, which were as many runs as the right-hander had allowed in 26 2/3 innings of his previous four opening-day starts.

Weaver retired eight in a row before Austin Jackson ripped a two-out double down the left-field line, Seth Smith hit a run-scoring triple to right just beyond the reach of a diving Calhoun, and Robinson Cano laced an RBI single to center for a 2-1 Mariners lead.

Dustin Ackley led off the fifth with a towering home run to right for a 3-1 Seattle lead. Brad Miller singled to center, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Smith’s ground-rule double to left-center to make it 4-1.

Trout provided the only other Angels highlight, leaping above the center-field wall to rob Logan Morrison of a home run to end the eighth inning.

Follow Mike DiGiovanna on Twitter @MikeDiGiovanna