Hancock tosses 6 no-hit innings, Donovan homers as Mariners beat Guardians 8-0

SEATTLE — Emerson Hancock threw six hitless innings and Brendan Donovan launched a three-run homer as the Seattle Mariners beat the Cleveland Guardians 8-0 on Sunday to earn a four-game split in their season-opening series. Hancock (1-0), who won a spot in the Mariners' rotation in large part because of an injury to Bryce Miller, set a career high with nine strikeouts. The only baserunners the 26-year-old right-hander allowed came when he walked José Ramírez in the first inning and hit CJ Kayfus with a fastball in the sixth. "We were just underneath the ball all day … we just couldn't get on top of his fastball," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. "He was coming right after us, we got some fastballs to hit — we just weren't able to square them up." Guardians rookie Chase DeLauter lined a clean single to right field leading off the seventh against reliever Cooper Criswell, ending Seattle's bid for a combined no-hitter. Daniel Schneemann also singled in the eighth off Criswell, who finished the two-hitter for his second major league save. DeLauter is the third player in MLB history with six or more hits and four or more home runs in his first four career games, joining Trevor Story (seven hits, six HRs in 2016) of Colorado and Mike Jacobs (seven hits, four HRs in 2005) of the New York Mets. His 18 total bases through his first four career games set a Guardians franchise record to begin a career, surpassing Roy Weatherly (16 total bases in 1936). Hancock joined Félix Hernández as the only Mariners pitchers to strike out nine or more in a hitless outing of at least six innings. Hernández did so when throwing a perfect game in 2012. Cleveland starter Slade Cecconi (0-1) struggled to keep the Mariners' offense at bay. He allowed six earned runs on six hits, a home run and three walks while striking out five over 4 1/3 innings. He threw 93 pitches (56 strikes) in his second career start against the Mariners. Cecconi also hit two batters and threw a wild pitch in the fourth inning. It was his first career game with multiple hit by pitches. Leo Rivas hit an RBI single in the fourth and Donovan connected for his second homer with Seattle. Randy Arozarena added an RBI double in the fifth and Luke Raley had a run-scoring single. Cal Raleigh, the AL MVP runner-up in 2025, drove in Donovan with a ground-rule double in the sixth. Arozarena knocked in Seattle's final run in the eighth with an RBI single. The Guardians bullpen — relievers Peyton Pallette and Colin Holderman — allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks while striking out three in 3 2/3 innings. "Obviously we would love to have won the series but to walk away from a split to start the year, we feel pretty good," Vogt said. "We're playing good baseball, had a couple of misplays today but outside of that, I feel like we're playing really good baseball these first four games ... just got to keep that rolling." Up next Guardians LHP Parker Messick gets the ball today in Los Angeles against RHP Roki Sasaki and the World Series champion Dodgers. RHP Luis Castillo starts tonight for Seattle against LHP Ryan Weathers in the first of three home games against the New York Yankees.