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Texas Rangers: Top 10 Opening Days

By Nathaniel Puente

ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 10: Robinson Chirinos #61 of the Texas Rangers is congratulated by third base coach Tony Beasley #27 in the second inning after hitting a home run against the New York Yankees Globe Life Park in Arlington on September 10, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Rick Yeatts/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 10: Robinson Chirinos #61 of the Texas Rangers is congratulated by third base coach Tony Beasley #27 in the second inning after hitting a home run against the New York Yankees Globe Life Park in Arlington on September 10, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Rick Yeatts/Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 02: Drew Robinson #18 of the Texas Rangers dives into home plate to score a run against the Oakland Athletics during the fifth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on April 2, 2018 in Oakland, California. The Oakland Athletics defeated the Texas Rangers 3-1. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 02: Drew Robinson #18 of the Texas Rangers dives into home plate to score a run against the Oakland Athletics during the fifth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on April 2, 2018 in Oakland, California. The Oakland Athletics defeated the Texas Rangers 3-1. (Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images) /

2. Opening Day 1992 – vs. Seattle Mariners (W 12-10)

What happens when two of the greatest pitchers the game has ever seen meet on opening day? A high scoring shootout that’s what!

To begin the 1992 season, the Texas Rangers gave Nolan Ryan the start against Randy Johnson and the Seattle Mariners.

Johnson and Ryan got off to good starts. Both teams only managed a combined one run in the first three innings; a Mariners home run in the second.

The Rangers got on the board in the fourth inning when Ruben Sierra hit an RBI double to left-field.

The game remained tied until the fifth inning when Seattle grabbed two runs off a first basemen error.

Dean Palmer pulled through the following inning by delivering a two-run homer to tie the game up at three.

Seattle seemingly put the game away with a total of five runs in the sixth and seventh inning off of two home runs a couple of clutch RBI hits.

Texas trailed 8-3 and had a one percent chance of winning when they headed into the top of the eighth. That is when magic struck.

Ruben Sierra and Dean Palmer drew walks before Dickie Thon landed a double in left-field that scored a run to pull the Rangers within four. Ivan Rodriguez drew another walk to put runners at first and second. Geno Petralli represented the go-ahead run and made true on his promise with a three-run homer that put the Rangers ahead 9-8.

Nothing could stop the Rangers in that eighth inning. They added three more runs from Ruben Sierra and Jack Daugherty singles after batting around the Mariners.

Texas held a 12-8 advantage and had pulled off an improbable comeback with a nine-run eighth inning. The four runs that losing pitcher Mike Schooler gave up left him with a 108.00 ERA.

Seattle added a couple runs in the bottom half of the inning but fell short as the Rangers eventually won 12-10.

Texas would go on to sweep the Mariners to begin the year 4-0. That would be the lone highlight of the season as the Rangers finished a sub-par 77-85.

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