Ovi scores historic PP goal as Capitals hold off Devils
Ohtani’s 2-way play, Walsh’s HRs lead Angels past ChiSox Red Wings end drought in Tampa with 5-1 win over Lightning
ANAHEIM, California, April 5, (AP): Shohei Ohtani hit a 451-foot homer and pitched two-hit ball into the fifth inning in a historic two-way performance, and Jared Walsh hit a walkoff homer in the Los Angeles Angels’ 7-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Walsh hit two homers, including a big three-run shot off Matt Foster to end the Angels’ third win over Chicago in their four-game, season-opening series.
Ohtani reached another milestone in his unique career when he took the mound and occupied the No. 2 slot in the batting order for the Angels. He was just the third pitcher in 45 seasons to hit for himself in a game with the designated hitter available, and the first to bat second since Jack Dunleavy did it for the Cardinals in 1903.
BASEBALL
In the first inning alone, Ohtani both threw the hardest pitch by any starting pitcher in baseball this season and produced the hardest hit by any batter this season. Ohtani touched 101 mph with a fastball, and his first-pitch homer off Chicago’s Dylan Cease left his bat at 115 mph.
Ohtani also didn’t allow a run through the first four innings, but his control problems abetted Chicago’s three-run rally in the fifth. Ohtani left after a passed ball and a throwing error by catcher Max Stassi led to a scary collision at home plate between Ohtani and AL MVP José Abreu, but the Angels said the two-way star avoided injury.
New Angels closer Raisel Iglesias (1-0) couldn’t quite come up with a five-out save. Chicago tied it in the ninth when Nick Madrigal scored from second on a throwing error by Iglesias, who tried to get him at third after fielding Adam Eaton’s one-out grounder.
Phillies 2, Braves 1
In Philadelphia, Alec Bohm hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning and Zach Eflin gave Philadelphia another strong start to complete a three-game sweep of defending NL East champion Atlanta.
Philadelphia’s starting trio of Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler and Eflin (1-0) surrendered three runs, 11 hits and one walk in 20 2/3 innings against an Atlanta lineup that led the majors in 2020 with 556 hits.
The Phillies bullpen, which posted a 7.06 ERA in 2020, didn’t yield a run in 7 1/3 innings in the set.
Reds 12, Cardinals 1
In Cincinnati, Nick Castellanos came out swinging with his bat a day after being ejected for inciting a benchclearing melee, hitting a three-run homer off Carlos Martinez (0-1) and triple to finish the series 6 for 11 with five RBIs.
Tyler Naquin also a three-run shot for the Reds, who won two in a row to take the opening matchup of NL Central teams that earned wild-card spots last season.
Jeff Hoffman (1-0), acquired from the Colorado Rockies in an off-season trade, gave up a just run and three hits through five innings with six strikeouts.
Indians 9, Tigers 3
In Detorit, Jordan Luplow hit a tworun homer to cap a four-run seventh, and Cleveland overcame a home run by Akil Baddoo on the first pitch of his first major league at-bat.
Cleveland avoided a sweep in Detroit after falling behind 3-1 in the third. Yu Chang put the Indians up 4-3 with a two-run single off Daniel Norris (0-1) in the seventh, and Luplow added his homer one out later.
Baddoo was taken by the Tigers with the third pick of the 2020 winter meeting draft of unprotected players. The 22-year-old, who had never played above Class A, gave his bat a little flip after hitting an opposite-field drive to left in the third off Aaron Civale (1-0).
Orioles 11, Red Sox3
In Boston, Boston dropped to 0-3 at Fenway Park for the first time since 1948 and the second time ever as Trey Mancini and Austin Hays hit two-run doubles during a seven-run third inning.
Cedric Mullins went 5 for 5 with three doubles and walk for the Orioles, collecting four of hits in the initial four innings. Maikel Franco added a firstinning, two-run double, helping Baltimore to its first three-game sweep at Fenway since Aug. 25-27, 2017.
Boston is coming off a 24-36 record that was its worst winning percentage since 1965.
Baltimore left-hander Bruce Zimmerman (1-0) gave up three runs and four hits in six innings with five strikeouts and one walk for his first victory.
Blue Jays 3, Yankees 1
In New York, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Randal Grichuk homered off Domingo Germán (0-1). who allowed three runs over three innings in his first appearance since Sept. 18, 2019, after serving a suspension under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. Toronto won two of three.
T.J. Zeuch pitched four scoreless innings, left-hander Ryan Borucki (10) got two outs to escape a jam in the sixth and Julian Merryweather got his second save with a perfect ninth.
Cubs 4, Pirates 4
In Chicago, Zach Davies (1-0) permitted two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings in his Chicago debut against short-handed Pittsburgh.
Ian Happ homered and Kris Bryant reached three times as Chicago earned its second straight win after losing on opening day.
Pittsburgh played without third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left wrist.
Rangers 7, Royals 3
In Kansas City, Mo., Nate Lowe three-run homer in the third for Texas, which avoided a sweep, and a team-record nine RBIs in the first three games of the season, a Texas record.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa also drove in three runs.
Jordan Lyles (1-0) gave up two runs in 5 2/3 innings, struck out eight and allowed five hits.
Twins 8, Brewers 2
In Milwaukee, Miguel Sanó and Mitch Garver homered to back up Michael Pineda (1-0), who gave up just one unearned run and four hits in five innings.
Luis Arraez went 3 of 3 with a pair of walks as the Twins took two of three. Max Kepler and Sanó each drove in three runs.
Dodgers 4, Rockies 2
In Denver, Julio Urías (1-0) gave up one run and three hits over sevenplus innings in the longest start of the 24-year-old left-hander’s major league career. He struck out six and walked one.
Austin Gomber (0-1) walked seven, allowing three runs - one earned - and one hit in three innings.
Astros 9, Athletics 2
In Oakland, California, Jason Castro homered in his first start with Houston since as a free agent following the 2016 season, helping complete a four-game sweep.
Dusty Baker tied Bill McKechnie for 14th among managers with 1,896 wins.
Diamondbacks 3, Padres 1
In San Diego, Rookie Taylor Widener (1-0) held San Diego to three hits over six scoreless innings to win his first big league start and David Peralta hit a two-run triple as Arizona avoided a four-game sweep.
Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his first homer of the season with two outs in the ninth, off Chris Devenski, who got the save. Tatis also made his fifth error at shortstop.
NEWARK, N.J., April 5, (AP): Alex Ovechkin moved into a second-place tie on the all-time list for NHL power-play goals and the Washington Capitals beat the New Jersey Devils 5-4, completing a sweep of their eight-game season series.
Ovechkin’s second-period goal was his 265th with the extra man, tying him with Brett Hull for second place and leaving him nine behind all-time league leader Dave Andreychuk (274). The 35-yearold Russian, who also picked up two assists, has 19 goals this season and 725 in his career.
Ilya Samsonov stopped 35 shots, and T.J. Oshie, Conor Sheary, Carl Hagelin and Evgeny Kuznetsov also scored for Washington. The eightgame sweep was the first in team history against a single opponent.
Travis Zajac scored twice and Yegor Sharangovich and Jesper Bratt once for New Jersey, which trailed 3-2 after two periods despite outshooting the Caps 31-12. Mackenzie Blackwood finished with 14 saves.
Red Wings 5, Lightning 1
In Tampa, Florida, Thomas Greiss made 27 stops to lead Detroit to its first road win against Tampa Bay in the regular season in more than 10 years.
Marc Staal, Valtteri Filppula, Michael Rasmussen, Darren Helm and Dylan Larkin all scored for the Red Wings, who snapped a three-game winless streak. Luke Glendening and Anthony Mantha each finished with two assists for Detroit, which had lost 17 consecutive regular-season games in Tampa.
Victor Hedman scored his seventh goal for the Lightning. Christopher Gibson stopped 13 shots in the loss, his undoing coming when he allowed three goals in a span of 2:53 in the secCentral ond period.
Panthers 3, Blue Jackets 0
In Sunrise, Florida, Aleksander Barkov had a goal and an assist, Chris Driedger posted his third career shutout, and Florida won its sixth straight.
Frank Vatrano and Gustav Forsling also scored, and MacKenzie Weegar had two assists as the Panthers moved into sole possession of first place in the Division.
Driedger, who has earned wins in four of his last five appearances, stopped all 32 shots he faced for his second shutout of the season.
Joonas Korpisalo also had 32 saves for Columbus.
Hurricanes 1, Stars 0
In Raleigh, N.C., Petr Mrazek made 28 saves in his first game back after a two-month absence as Carolina beat Dallas.
Mrazek, who notched his third shutout of the season, played for the first time since suffering a thumb injury Jan. 30 against Dallas.
Stars coach Rick Bowness didn’t return to the bench for the third period because of what the team announced was a COVID protocol.
Jordan Martinook’s second-period goal was enough scoring. It was his second goal of the season, with the other coming Feb. 13 at Dallas.
Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger made 37 saves just a night after a 41-save outing in a victory against the Hurricanes.
Maple Leafs 4, Flames 2
In Calgary, Alberta, Auston Matthews and John Tavares each had a goal and an assist and Toronto beat Calgary.
Morgan Rielly and Alex Galchenyuk also scored for the Maple Leafs, who are 6-3-1 in their last 10 and continue to top the NHL’s North Division. Michael Hutchinson made 32 saves.
Joakim Nordstrom and Andrew Mangiapane scored for the Flames, who are 2-8-0 in their last 10 and 5-8-0 since Darryl Sutter took over as head coach. David Rittich stopped 26 shots.
Toronto has won five of seven meetings between the teams this season. The Flames host the Maple Leafs again Monday.
Coyotes 3, Ducks 2, OT
In Anaheim, California, Jakob Chychrun scored his third goal 1:47 into overtime and Arizona Coyotes beat Anaheim.
It was the first career hat trick for Chychrun, who scored on a long wrist shot.
Adin Hill made 18 saves for the Coyotes, who swept the two game set after winning 4-2 on Friday. Arizona has won five of six.