Arlington, Tex. ? Big Papi and the Boston Red Sox certainly like having the “old” Curt Schilling back.

Looking as good as he said he felt, Schilling struck out five and allowed two runs over seven strong innings in Boston’s 7-3 season-opening victory over the Texas Rangers on Monday.

“I saw him pitching the last game he pitched in spring training, and it was obvious he was right back where he likes to be,” said David Ortiz, who was 3-for-5 with three RBIs. “I saw him making his pitches, doing his thing. He looked great to me.”

Schilling said he still was strong after a 117-pitch outing in which he walked one and allowed only one extra-base hit, a two-run homer by Hank Blalock in the sixth inning. His velocity was in the mid-90s at times.

“All of 2004, I was getting shot in the ankle after April. So this has been almost two years since I felt anything remotely close to this,” Schilling said. “This is what I was like in 2002.”

The debut of new Texas ace Kevin Millwood was a bust. The reigning AL ERA champion gave up five runs and seven hits in five innings.

Orioles 9, Devil Rays 6

Baltimore – Luis Matos and Melvin Mora hit successive homers in the fifth inning, and Miguel Tejada and Jeff Conine also connected as Baltimore won its sixth straight opener.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Curt Schilling throws in the first inning against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Monday, April 3, 2006. The Red Sox won the season opener 7-3.

Jonny Gomes and Travis Lee homered for Tampa Bay, but it wasn’t enough offense to make a winner of Joe Maddon in his managerial debut.

Angels 5, Mariners 4

Seattle – Orlando Cabrera hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to lift Los Angeles.

Scot Shields pitched 11â3 innings in relief for the victory.

Kenji Johjima, playing in the first major-league game for a Japanese catcher, homered in the fifth for Seattle.

Yankees 15, Athletics 2

Oakland, Calif. – Alex Rodriguez hit a grand slam and drove in five runs, Johnny Damon drove in a run in his New York debut, and Randy Johnson exhibited the dominant form he lacked for much of last season.

Rodriguez’s 12th career grand slam highlighted New York’s seven-run second inning that staked Johnson to a big lead early.