FINAL: Red Sox 5 , Mariners 1 - Valdez's three-run HR helps power Red Sox to win

The Red Sox defeated the Seattle Mariners 5-1 Sunday afternoon to take a series split to open the 2024 MLB season. Emmanuel Valdez came through with a big three-run home run in the top of the fourth inning which gave the Sox a 4-1 lead.

 Here are my main takeaways from today: 

• Valdez had a great day at the plate with the big 3-run home run. 
• Tyler O'Neill also had a good game including a solo HR that originally gave Boston a 1-0 lead. 

• The pitching for the Red Sox has been great early on this season. Garrett Whitlock went 5 innings giving up only one run, 0 walks, 8 K, and only 3 hits. He was one strikeout shy of tying his career high (9).
• Justin Slaten also performed well out of the bullpen earning the save as he retired 4 in a row at one point. He also earned his first career MLB strikeout which ended the game. 

• Joely Rodriguez did a little better today, but ran into trouble allowing guys to get on first and second which forced Alex Cora to make a change. 

The Red Sox travel to Oakland to continue their west coast trip to face the Athletics in the first of a three-game series tomorrow night at 9:40 p.m. ET. 

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WHO: Red Sox (1-2) at Mariners (2-1)
WHEN: 4:10 p.m.
WHERE: T-Mobile Park, Seattle
SERIES TO DATE: 1-2
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Garrett Whitlock (5-5, 5.15 ERA in 2023) vs. RHP Bryce Miller (8-7, 4.32 in '23)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI-FM 93.7

LIVE BOX

LINEUPS

RED SOX

Jarren Duran, CF
Rafael Devers, 3B
Trevor Story, SS
Triston Casas, 1B
Masataka Yoshida, DH
Tyler O'Neill, LF
Wilyer Abreu ,RF
Emmanuel Valdez, 2B
Reese McGuire, C

SP Garrett Whitlock, RHP

MARINERS

J.P. Crawford, SS
Julio Rodríguez, CF
Jorge Polanco, 2B
Mitch Haniger, DH
Ty France, 1B
Dominic Canzone, LF
Luke Railey, RF
Josh Rojas, 3B
Seby Zavala, C

SP Bryce Miller, RHP

WHAT'S UP

• The Red Sox have lost back-to- back one run games in Seattle following their 6-4 Opening Day win on Thursday. 
• Boston has gone 1-4-0 in the previous opening series in the last five years (2019-2023). The last time the Red Sox split an opening series was in 2004 at Baltimore. 
• Boston has allowed just seven earned runs over their first three games, their fewest over the first 3 games of any season since 2015 (5 ER).
• The Sox' 35 strikeouts are their most ever in the first three games of the season (previous high was 33 in 2021). 
• Through the first three games, Boston's starting pitching has allowed just four runs (3 ER) in 17.0 IP with only one walk and 19 SO. 
• Ceddanne Rafaela has hit safely in each of Boston's first three games (4-for-12, 3 R, 2B, 3B, RBI).

About last night: Red Sox blew a 3-1 lead in the 10th as Joely Rodriguez allowed three runs — two were earned, with Wilyer Abreu's boot in right field loomed huge — as Kenley Jansen (tight back) was not available. Rafael Devers (sore shoulder) sat for the second-straight game. Jansen and Devers are expected to be available for today's season finale.