Cano homers twice, Mariners rally in 9th to win 9-5 at Texas

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Robinson Cano keeps going deep, and the Seattle Mariners are already starting to set a new tone in the AL West.

Cano homered two more times and drove in five runs, including a two-run shot to cap a five-run ninth inning rally, and Seattle ended its three-game opening series with a 9-5 victory at defending division champion Texas on Wednesday.

''It was a good series. Not only because the way I ended up swinging the bat but the way we came back,'' Cano said. ''Especially in that game and be able to win the series.''

After a 3-2 loss in the opener, the Mariners got to the Texas bullpen in back-to-back games. In the finale, all five Seattle batters that faced closer Shawn Tolleson in the ninth got hits and scored.

Pinch-hitter Nori Aoki and No. 9 batter Ketel Marte started the rally with consecutive singles, and Leonys Martin had a tying RBI double. Kyle Seager then had a two-run single before Cano's fourth homer already this season chased Tolleson (0-1).

''Anytime you have success, especially early in the season, it lets everybody relax, lets everybody get into their rhythm,'' Seager said. ''When you have success against another team's bullpen, that gives you confidence as well.''

The Mariners scored eight runs over two innings Tuesday for a 10-2 victory.

Cano has homered in the first three games, the first Seattle player ever to do that - and is also the first with four homers in that opening stretch. He had 21 homers last season, and his fourth didn't come until his 71st game on June 26. He later played much of the last two months of the season with a sports hernia.

''You can tell that he feels good. You can tell just in his swings,'' Seager said. ''You can tell just the way he's walking around, the way he's moving.''

Joaquin Benoit (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth.

Prince Fielder hit his first homer of the season, a three-run drive in the sixth off Wade Miley put Texas up 5-3. It was the first homer this season for the Rangers, who allowed nine long balls to Seattle.

Martin also homered for the Mariners, his first of the season putting them up 3-0 in the second against Colby Lewis. But Lewis got through the sixth with allowing any more runs.

The Rangers bullpen allowed 14 runs and 17 hits in only six innings the last two games of the series. Tolleson was the second Texas reliever in as many games to allow five runs without recording an out.

''After two outings I'm not going to raise the red flag and being concerned. We'll continue to pay attention to it,'' Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. ''The three starters have given us three quality outings. We have to shore up, sharpen up and we'll get it going in the right direction.''

EVEN WHEN HE DOESN'T SWING

Along with the pair of two-run homers, Cano got an RBI when he drew a bases-loaded walk on a full-count pitch in the seventh to get the Mariners to 5-4. ''I wanted to swing really bad, but you get two balls with bases loaded. Even if you get a walk, you get the game closer,'' he said.

FIRST SERIES FOR SERVAIS

The Mariners won their first series with new manager Scott Servais. ''We're pretty good. And we're starting to come together,'' he said. ''The biggest thing is it's not one guy, it's not two guys. It's an entire group. It's a bullpen group. It's a starting group. It's a very deep lineup. It's bench guys.''

NO WALKS

Miley struck out seven without a walk over six innings in his Mariners debut. He was acquired from Boston in an offseason trade.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Mariners: Aoki was out of Seattle's starting lineup, a day after the outfielder fouled a ball off a shin. Manager Scott Servais said he was a little tender, but available if needed. Aoki came on and started the ninth-inning rally.

UP NEXT

Mariners: Seattle gets a day off before its home opener Friday night against Oakland. Taijuan Walker, who was 11-8 last season, is the scheduled starter.

Rangers: Left-hander Derek Holland, who got hurt in the first inning of his first start last season, is to take the mound Thursday night when Texas opens a four-game series at the Los Angeles Angels.