OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Oakland Athletics have to like what they see from Erubiel Durazo. Tim Hudson's outings are almost always pleasing to the eye.
Durazo doubled, homered and drove in all five runs and Hudson allowed five hits in eight innings as the Athletics posted a 5-0 blanking of the Seattle Mariners in the season opener for both teams.
Durazo, Oakland's key offseason acquisition, had just three hits in his first 23 at-bats this spring but began heating up late in the Cactus League season. He carried that hot hitting to the season opener, crushing a two-run homer in the second inning and lining a three-run double off the right-center field wall in the fifth.
"I felt so little pressure since I got here," Durazo said. "I started slow, but it was just getting my timing down. If they keep pitching to me like this ,I'll have a good year. I'm just a quiet guy that plays hard. I can't take too much credit."
Hudson (1-0) allowed a double, four singles and two walks. He struck out four and improved to 8-4 lifetime against Seattle.
"I can't believe I had a shutout," Hudson said. "Well, I didn't go all the way, but we got a shutout. I just tried to keep them off-balance. I was trying several times to throw higher stuff, almost like `show me' pitches. ... I thought this was pretty easy for me tonight. They all can't be like this, I know that."
"Hudson was unbelieveable," said Oakland's Ken Macha, who won his managerial debut. "He had 18 first-pitch strikes and he worked fast. That kept them off-balance."
The 27-year-old righthander ran his career record to 65-26. His .714 winning percentage is second only to Spud Chandler (.717) among pitchers with at least 90 decisions.
"That's the best I've ever seen him and he's pitched some good games," said Seattle manager Bob Melvin, who lost his debut.
Both of Durazo's run-scoring hits came off starter Fredy Garcia (0-1). The Mariners ace struggled with his control and allowed five runs and eight hits in just 4 2/3 innings.
"When you give up five runs, it's tough for me and the team," Garcia said. "Hudson threw a great game. He has great stuff."
"All in all, Garcia threw a good game," Melvin said. "The pitches didn't quite end up where there should. Two pitches really cost him."
After Hudson stranded a runner in scoring position in the opening inning, the A's broke on top in the second.
Eric Chavez led off with a single and one out later Durazo lined a 1-0 pitch over the wall in left-center field for a 2-0 lead.
"That homer didn't look like that to me, but I'm back in the dugout," Melvin said. "He must have really hit it."
The game remained 2-0 into the fifth and Garcia struck out Mark Ellis to open the inning. Scott Hatteberg singled but was erased on a forceout by Miguel Tejada. Chavez worked a seven-pitch walk and Garcia threw four straight balls to Jermaine Dye.
With the bases loaded, Garcia made too good a pitch to Durazo, who drilled it off the top of the wall in left-center field, scoring all three runners.
"Chavez had an awesome at-bat against me," Garcia said. "I threw some good pitches to him and he kept battling and fouling them off. I thought I threw a good pitch to Durazo, too. It was just a fly ball to center field that the wind got."
"On that double, I thought for sure (center fielder) Mike Cameron would catch that," Durazo said. "I didn't think I hit it that hard."
Seattle got two aboard in the sixth, but Hudson retired John Olerud on a flyout and struck out Bret Boone.
Ricardo Rincon followed Hudson and struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth.
Macha admitted to some nerves but claimed he avoided butterflies.
"I outlasted the butterflies, which I really never got since I was here at 9:30 this morning," he said. "I got the scorecard. The win brought a big smile to my face."
