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

CBS News Chicago Sports Live

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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