Three takeaways from Mariners’ win over the Boston Red Sox in their home opener

The Seattle Mariners stunned the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox, 12-4, in Thursday’s home opener at T-Mobile Park to push their season record to 3-0.

Here are three takeaways from the win.

1. ‘They have things to prove to a lot of people’

Long before the 2019 season even started, it was given a lot of different labels. It would be “step back” season, a rebuild, a restructuring, a partial tear down of the roster.

But, the group the Mariners have put together this season — a mixture of veterans and newcomers, many of whom Seattle acquired in the offseason — doesn’t seem to buy into that branding.

“All of the things that you guys talk about, kind of the direction the organization is heading or whatever — these guys are out there, they have things to prove to a lot of people,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “But, again, a lot of these guys we’ll give them opportunity, and see if they can take it and run with it.”

At least Thursday — and in the first three games of the season dating back to the two-game sweep of the Oakland A’s last week in Japan — the Mariners have.

Entering the home opener, many thought Seattle’s hitters would struggle against Boston ace Chris Sale, one of the American League’s premier starting pitchers.

Instead, the Mariners tagged Sale with three homers — two from shortstop Tim Beckham, who was 0 for 15 in his career against Sale entering the game — and seven earned runs on six hits.

Sale completed just three innings, throwing 76 pitches. After he struck out the side in the first inning, the Mariners unloaded an offensive barrage in the second and third, forcing Sale’s early exit.

“Chris Sale is certainly one of the best, the premier guys in our league,” Servais said. “But again, it starts with the quality at-bats, working deep in counts. Even though we struck out the side in the first inning, we were deep in counts. You looked up and he threw 24-25 pitches in the first inning.

“That’s the big difference in our ball club. Some days we’re going to hit four or five home runs, some days we’re not. And I do think we’re going to grind, and grind through at-bats consistently up and down that lineup.”

All 10 batters Seattle sent to the plate reached base at least once, while seven recorded hits, and Mitch Haniger (2 for 4), Domingo Santana (3 for 5), Edwin Encarnacion (2 for 4) and Beckham (2 for 5) each recorded multi-hit games.

2. Mariners have a lot of ‘thump’ in this lineup

The last time the Mariners belted five home runs in one ball game? May 31, 2016 in a win over the San Diego Padres in what was then known as Safeco Field.

That number was matched Thursday in the first game at the newly rebranded T-Mobile Park.

“I hope it’s a common theme, because I like that,” Mariners third baseman Ryon Healy said.

Beckham recorded his two home runs in the second and third innings — and is the sixth player in Mariners history to hit three home runs in the first three games of the season — to start a parade of five Mariners deep shots.

His first home run to left center was the longest of the night at 430 feet, while his second two-run shot to dead center reached 417 feet.

Edwin Encarnacion crushed his first dinger of the season 414 feet to center in the third.

And Ryon Healy and Domingo Santana each recorded their second of the season in the fifth and seventh innings, respectively. Healy sent his 366 feet to left, and Santana launched his 384 feet into the Mariners bullpen.

“We have a lot of thump in our line up top to bottom, so it might be something that ends up defining us in the end,” Healy said.

3. Bullpen overshadowed by offensive fireworks, but is efficient again

Servais said several times during spring training the bullpen configuration entering the 2019 season was one of his biggest question marks.

Apart from Hunter Strickland functioning as the Mariners closer, replacing All-Star Edwin Diaz who was traded to the New York Mets in the offseason, Seattle’s relievers don’t have defined roles.

That hasn’t seemed to matter much early on.

During the Mariners’ season-opening two-game series in Japan last week, six of the eight relievers who appeared held the Oakland A’s scoreless, and Strickland notched a pair of saves.

The bullpen was again efficient in Thursday’s win.

Mariners starter Marco Gonzales, who notched his second win, was pulled after 5 1/3 innings of work.

Left-hander Roenis Elias allowed an existing runner, who was charged to Gonzales, to score in the sixth, but the bullpen held the Red Sox scoreless in the final three frames.

Elias closed out the sixth, allowing just the one single to right by Andrew Benintendi that scored Christian Vazquez, and struck out Rafael Devers to end the threat.

Right-hander Cory Gearrin kept his ERA immaculate with a scoreless seventh, recording a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout.

And rookie Brandon Brennan pitched the final two innings, keeping his ERA perfect, while allowing just one hit and striking out two.

This story was originally published March 28, 2019 at 10:49 PM.