Longoria, Souza, Rays outlast Blue Jays, 10-8
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. — Evan Longoria homered during a five-run first inning against wild Francisco Liriano and the Tampa Bay Rays went on to outscore the Toronto Blue Jays, 10-8, in American League baseball action Friday night.
Liriano faced only eight batters, walking four and giving up three hits before getting pulled. The Blue Jays rallied for a 7-6 lead, but Tampa Bay overtook them by scoring three times in the sixth inning, two on a double by Steven Souza Jr.
Brad Miller and Derek Norris also drove in two runs each for the Rays.
Xavier Cedeno (1-0) won despite giving up a bases-loaded walk to Troy Tulowitzki that put the Blue Jays ahead in the sixth. Alex Colome got four outs to earn his third save J.P. Howell (0-1) took the loss. Josh Donaldson and Tulowitzki hit their first home runs for Toronto.
The game started on time despite a late arrival by the umpiring crew. The four umps needed a police escort after a fire shut down a highway, and they got to Tropicana Field just 42 minutes before the first pitch.
The Rays’ five-run first included Daniel Robertson’s first major league hit, a single. Longoria connected for his second homer.
Tulowitzki drove in four runs. He hit a two-run double in the first off Matt Andriese.
Orioles 6, Yankees 5 BALTIMORE — Down by four runs, the Baltimore Orioles made up the deficit by employing their most effective weapon: the home run.
Manny Machado hit a three-run shot, leadoff hitter Seth Smith got into the act with a two-run drive and the Orioles rallied to beat the New York Yankees, 6-5.
Stymied by 23-year-old Luis Severino for four innings, the Orioles began to stir in the fifth.
Machado’s first home run of the season got Baltimore within a run at 5-4, and Smith completed the comeback in the seventh with a drive off Tyler Clippard (0-1).
Smith was obtained in an off-season trade because of his ability to get on base, but in this game he made the difference with the long ball.
Batting with a runner on third and New York’s infield drawn in, Smith hit a 2-1 fastball over the right-field wall.
Donnie Hart (1-0) earned his first majorleague victory by getting the final out in the New York seventh. Brad Brach struck out the side in the eighth and Zach Britton got three straight outs for his second save.
After sweeping Toronto in their opening series, the Orioles are 3-0 and alone atop the AL East.
Matt Holliday homered and had three RBIs for New York, Gary Sanchez hit a tworun drive and Brett Gardner had three hits and scored three runs.
Tigers 6, Red Sox 5 DETROIT — After seven runs, five walks, two lead changes and a parade of futile pitching changes, the eighth inning finally ended at Comerica Park.
What the Detroit bullpen squandered, the Boston relievers had given right back.
JaCoby Jones drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth, and the Tigers outlasted the flu-bitten Red Sox, 6-5, to win their ninth straight home opener. Detroit allowed five runs in the top of the eighth, blowing a 4-0 lead in the process, but the Tigers scored twice in their half to take back the lead.
Red Sox stars Hanley Ramirez and Mookie Betts were ill and out of the lineup. Boston also was without shortstop Xander Bogaerts and reliever Matt Barnes, who are on the bereavement list.