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Silva impressive in debut as Mariners top Rangers

Apr 3, 2008 - 6:03 AM SEATTLE (Ticker) -- The Seattle Mariners welcomed a new starter and a new closer on Wednesday night, and both made impressive debuts.

Carlos Silva pitched seven strong innings and Miguel Batista picked up the save as the Mariners rolled to a 4-1 victory over the Texas Rangers in the rubber match of their three-game series.

Silva (1-0), who was signed to a four-year, $48 million contract in the offseason, yielded one run and three hits while striking out five and walking three.

The Venezuelan sinkerballer was the top pitcher in a weak free-agent market over the winter, and Seattle jumped at the chance to add the burly righthander to a rotation that was among the worst in the game in 2007.

"Silva was spectacular," Mariners manager John McLaren said. "He was on his game. What a competitor. Another No. 1 pitcher for us. He had good stuff. He never backed off. You can't pitch much better than that."

Silva had some trouble with his command early on and managed strikes on just 68 of his 116 pitches. But he induced eight groundouts and allowed only one runner past second base.

"I used all my pitches today," Silva said. "I was so nervous. I wanted to do good. When I was throwing in the bullpen, I just tried to relax and be myself and enjoy the game."

Batista, who was slated to be the Mariners' fifth starter this season after posting a 16-11 record in his first year with the club in 2007, came in with a runner on first and pitched a scoreless ninth to notch his first save since September 27, 2005 while with the Toronto Blue Jays.

"Going out there tonight and trying to ensure Carlos' first win was a little nerve-wracking," Batista said. "The guy did such a heck of a job and you had to go through the heart of the lineup. I wanted to be sure I didn't give them too many good pitches."

Batista joked that Wednesday's save was foretold in a fortune cookie he opened earlier in the day.

"The fortune said, 'Someone will need your help this month,'" Batista said.

Seattle placed All-Star closer J.J. Putz on the 15-day disabled list with a rib cage injury earlier in the day, necessitating Batista's services in the role.

Jose Vidro, who hit just six home runs last season, got the Mariners on the board with a solo blast in the second inning off Rangers starter Jason Jennings (0-1).

Jose Lopez provided Silva with all the support he needed in the fifth, following back-to-back singles by Yuniesky Betancourt and Ichiro Suzuki with a three-run homer to left field to push the Mariners' advantage to 4-0.

Jennings, who was making his debut with Texas after signing as a free agent in the offseason, was charged with all four runs and five hits in five innings.

"He did a great job," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "There was one pitch he'd probably like to have back, and that was the home run to Lopez in the fifth. He just left the ball a little fat over the plate."

"Everything was going as planned," Jennings said. "I was executing and getting quick outs. It was looking good. The Vidro home run was a mistake, but solo home runs aren't really going to beat you. But you make a mistake at the wrong time, that's what I did tonight."

Former Mariner Ben Broussard provided the Rangers' lone run with a leadoff homer in the sixth inning.