Hideki Matsui hit a two-run homer and had three RBIs and Joe Saunders limited Seattle to one run as the Los Angeles Angels earned a 7-1 victory over the Mariners on Friday night.

Matsui’s two-run homer to deep right in the second inning was all the runs the Angels needed to take the opener of the three-game series.

Saunders (4-6) allowed eight hits and one run in six innings.

Seattle starter Ian Snell (0-4) struggled through 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs despite giving up just three hits. He walked four batters and had no strikeouts.

The third inning was Snell’s undoing. He gave up a bunt to Erick Aybar and walked Maicer Izturis and Bobby Abreu, sandwiched around a sacrifice fly. Then Torii Hunter hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Aybar, and Matsui singled in Abreu.

The Mariners scored in the fifth on Ichiro Suzuki’s RBI single. Suzuki was 3-for-4, boosting his average to .350.

The Angels put the game out of reach with three runs in the seventh. Juan Rivera made it 5-1 against Sean White with his eighth homer. Howie Kendrick hit a two-run double off Chad Cordero, making his debut after rehabbing last season for shoulder and arm injuries.