Mariners’ fast start washed out in spring opener

The Seattle Mariners’ spring training season started with a splash. Just not the kind fans hoped for.

In the first major league exhibition game of the year, the Mariners and Oakland Athletics were rained out Thursday. The Mariners roughed up Jerry Blevins for three runs and led 5-0 in the middle of the second inning when it was called – so in a game where the stats don’t count, they really won’t count.

“We have our feet wet now, literally,” Athletics manager Bob Melvin said.

The Athletics and Mariners started early to give them time to prepare for their upcoming trip to Japan, where they'll play regular-season games on March 20-21 at the Tokyo Dome.

Dylan Moore, one of six players in the Mariners’ starting lineup who was new to the organization, hit a two-run double in the second off Blevins. Shed Long hit two doubles and Domingo Santana had a sacrifice fly.

The Mariners scored twice in the first thanks to a sacrifice fly by Domingo Santana and an RBI single by Omar Narvaez. Marco Gonzales pitched a 1-2-3 inning for the Mariners.

The Cactus League opener was rained out a season after Major League Baseball had 54 postponements, the most since 1989. It was an unseasonably cool 50 degrees at the start of the exhibition opener at Hohokam Stadium.

The Mariners and A’s are set to try again 12:10 p.m. Friday in Peoria.