Jared Walsh homers after watching new teammates get World Series rings as Rangers beat Cubs 11-2

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jared Walsh homered in his first at-bat for Texas after watching his new teammates get their World Series rings, and the Rangers beat the Chicago Cubs 11-2 on Saturday night.

Adolis García matched Walsh's two-run homer in the second inning with a go-ahead shot in the third, and Corey Seager had four singles and two RBIs to help the defending champs to a 2-0 start.

All three of Chicago's hits off left-hander Cody Bradford came in the second, including Dansby Swanson's two-run homer.

Bradford (1-0) finished the second with two of his six strikeouts over five innings and faced the minimum over his final three frames.

Four Texas relievers pitched a scoreless inning apiece in a five-hitter, capped by Brock Burke after the Rangers blew open the game with a six-run eighth.

Seager, last year's World Series MVP, finished his 12th four-hit game as one of five consecutive batters to drive in a run in the eighth against right-hander Ben Brown, who made his major league debut.

Marcus Semien had an RBI single before Seager, then Evan Carter added a run-scoring groundout and García a hit sacrifice fly. Josh Jung's two-run homer knocked out Brown.

The 24-year-old was recalled from Triple-A Iowa after left-lander Justin Steele went on the injured list. Steele is expected to miss at least a month after straining his left hamstring in his first opening-day start.

Walsh, who had three hits and scored three times, followed his homer by lining a double off the base of the center-field wall in the fourth and came home on Seager's third consecutive single for a 5-2 lead.

Kyle Hendricks (0-1) gave up five runs and nine hits in 3 2/3 innings.

After spending his first five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Walsh signed a minor league contract and as Gold Glove first baseman Nathaniel Lowe recovers from a right oblique strain.

After Swanson had given the Cubs a 2-0 lead in the second, Walsh pulled the third pitch he saw with the Rangers into the seats above the bullpen in right-center field

It didn't take García long to put his World Series ring on his finger for the cameras during a pregame ceremony. Then the reigning AL Championship Series MVP homered for the second time in two games.

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Cubs LHP Jordan Wicks opens his first full big league season against Texas RHP Jon Gray. Wicks debuted in August and was 4-1 with a 4.41 ERA in seven starts. Gray, who was scratched from an exhibition start Tuesday due to neck stiffness, made a team-high 29 starts last season.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Texas Rangers players Nathan Eovaldi, left; Adolis Garcia, center; and Jon Gray, right, pose with their World Series rings before a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Texas Rangers' Corey Seager waves to the crowd after receiving his World Series ring before a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks delivers a pitch during the forth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Cody Bradford winds up during the fifth inning of the team's baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, March 30, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Texas Rangers' Adolis Garcia celebrates his two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, March 30, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Texas Rangers' Wyatt Langford (36), Jared Walsh (21), and Jonah Heim, back, celebrate Walsh's two-run home run during the second inning of the team's baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, March 30, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Steven Lorentz scored the tiebreaking goal on an artful deflection with 8:25 to play, and the Toronto Maple Leafs blew a two-goal lead before rallying for a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night.

Max Domi and Mitch Marner also scored and Joseph Woll made 29 saves for the Atlantic Division-leading Leafs, who went 2-0-1 on their three-game California trip by beating Los Angeles and Anaheim on back-to-back nights.

Leo Carlsson scored his 20th goal and Sam Colangelo tied it on a power play early in the third period for Anaheim, which will soon wrap up its seventh consecutive non-playoff season. Lukas Dostal stopped 20 shots.

Domi walked around Ducks captain Radko Gudas and beat Dostal with a backhand late in the first.

Marner scored his 23rd goal after getting away from Gudas for a breakaway early in the second, but Carlsson put a shot through traffic 71 seconds later for his fourth goal in three games.

Colangelo then scored off his own rebound to tie it at 2:16 of the third.

Maple Leafs: They're grinding toward the postseason, winning six of eight to take a three-point lead over Florida and Tampa Bay.

Ducks: The present is ugly, but the future could be bright. Carlsson and Gauthier are excelling down the stretch of another lost season.

Lorentz, a grinding fourth-liner, had to make an impressive lateral move to tip David Kampf's pass out of the air for his second goal in 10 weeks. Gudas failed to tie up Lorentz's stick.

Carlsson has the first 20-goal season by any Ducks player under 21. The 20-year-old former No. 2 overall pick finished the best month of his two-year NHL career with 17 points in 15 games in March.

The Maple Leafs host the Panthers on Wednesday night. The Ducks host the Sharks on Tuesday night.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

Anaheim Ducks right wing Sam Colangelo (64) deflects a shot as Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Simon Benoit (2) defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Toronto Maple Leafs center Max Domi (11) celebrates his goal with the bench during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Anaheim Ducks left wing Cutter Gauthier (61) controls the puck past Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares (91) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitch Marner (16) scores past Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (1) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitch Marner (16) celebrates after his goal with center Auston Matthews (34) and left wing Matthew Knies (23) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)