Mariners beat Athletics 3-1 in MLB opener

Infielder Dustin Ackley fired a game-winning hit to give Seattle Mariners a 3-1 win over Oakland Athletics in the opener of the US Major League Baseball at the Tokyo Dome on Wednesday. Ackley, who also hit a home run off starter Brandon McCarthy to take a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, sent a single to centre field to get Brendan Ryan back, who was on the third base, for a 2-1 lead in the 11th inning. Japan's star outfielder Ichiro Suzuki added another run with his fourth hit of the day to receive Ackley from the second base. The Athletics only managed to equalise 1-1 at the bottom of the fourth inning through a double by catcher Kurt Suzuki to get Cliff Pennington back. Mariners starter Felix Hernandez pitched eight innings of one-run ball. "The first thing I thought after I got back to the dug out was that I'm the leader of the major league's home run. It's the first time in my life," said second baseman Ackley. It was the Mariners' fifth extra-inning affair on opening day and the first since 1996 with their record now four wins against one defeat in five games.