Opening Night tickets remain available

CHICAGO -- Tickets for the Mariners home opener on Monday night were still available as of Sunday as the club returns to Safeco Field to face the Houston Astros, their new American League West foe.

Pregame ceremonies begin at 6:30 p.m. PT, with Seattle band Pickwick performing three songs. Jamie Moyer, the winningest pitcher in Mariners history, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the 7:10 p.m. game.

Gates will open at 4:40 p.m. and all fans will receive a 2013 Mariners magnetic schedule. The pregame ceremony will be streamed live on Mariners.com starting at 6:30 p.m. and Root Sports will air an hour-long pregame show starting at 6 p.m.

Pickwick will open the festivities with a three-song set -- a cover of Elvis Costello's "Pump It Up," an original tune called "Window Sill," and John Fogerty's "Centerfield."

Marlee Burkett, an 11-year-old from Sammamish, Wash., will do the ceremonial first run around the bases. Burkett is a Make-A-Wish child who recently underwent a liver transplant.

The national anthem will be performed by the Gospel Outreach choir.

Joe Saunders, a veteran left-hander signed as a free agent this offseason, gets the Opening Night start for the Mariners. He'll face Astros right-hander Philip Humber, who threw a perfect game against the Mariners last year while with the White Sox.