Cespedes hits 3 home runs as Mets defeat Phillies
PHILADELPHIA: Yoenis Cespedes hit three of New York’s seven homers to back Matt Harvey, and the Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies 14-4 Tuesday night. Harvey (2-0) left with tightness in his left hamstring after allowing two runs and five hits and striking out six in 5 2/3 innings. Phillies starter Clay Buchholz (0-1) also exited because of an injury, a strained right forearm. He gave up six runs and eight hits in 2 1/3 innings. Lucas Duda hit two homers and Asdrubal Cabrera and Travis d’Arnaud also went deep for New York, which has 46 homers in its last 21 games at Citizens Bank Park. Cespedes fell down on a wild swing on the first pitch he saw, then hit a three-run homer to straightaway center field off Buchholz in the first inning. He connected to deep left in the fourth off Adam Morgan and drove another one way out to left in the fifth against Morgan.
INDIANS 2, WHITE SOX 1, 10 INNINGS
Michael Brantley doubled home Francisco Lindor with two outs in the 10th inning as Cleveland celebrated its 2016 AL championship and then beat Chicago in its home opener. Brantley could only watch and cheer for his teammates last October during their postseason run after undergoing two surgeries on his right shoulder. But he’s healthy now, and after playing in just 11 games last season, Brantley made the most of his first home game since May 10 with his game-winning hit. Lindor walked with two outs off Tommy Kahnle (0-1) before Brantley sliced a 3-2 pitch down the left-field line. Lindor was running on the pitch and scored easily while Brantley danced around second base before being mobbed by his teammates. It was the dramatic ending the Indians didn’t get in their last home game, a 10-inning loss to the Chicago Cubs in Game 7 of the World Series. Cleveland led the majors with 11 walk-off wins last season. Bryan Shaw (1-0), who took the loss when the Cubs won their first title in 108 years, got the win.
MARLINS 8, BRAVES 4
A gray cat went scrambling for cover in the Marlins Park outfield midway through Miami’s home opener, and no wonder, given the barrage off Marcell Ozuna’s bat. Ozuna homered twice and had a career-high six RBIs to help Miami beat Atlanta. Announced attendance was 36,519, and that didn’t include a cat that ran onto the field midway through the game. It scurried along the outfield warning track, ran away from right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, crawled up the center field wall and then appeared to get stuck in the animatronic home run sculpture. Marlins president David Samson said if Ozuna had hit a third homer, the sculpture would not have been activated for fear of harming the cat. Dan Straily (1-1) allowed three runs, two earned, in five innings for his first victory since joining Miami. Bartolo Colon (0-1) allowed six runs in four innings.
ANGELS 6, RANGERS 5, 10 INNINGS
Carlos Perez’s squeeze bunt in the 10th inning capped another comeback for Los Angeles, which scored three times in the ninth before going on to beat Texas. The Rangers led 5-0 through six innings. With runners on the corners and one out, Perez set down a perfect bunt that hugged the inside grass and died without going foul. The Angels had rallied to score seven runs in the ninth in the previous game on Sunday to beat the Mariners. The Angels’ ninth-inning comeback Tuesday came off Rangers’ closer Sam Dyson. Down 5-2 going into the inning, the Angels got a solo home run from Danny Espinoza, back-to-back doubles by Yunel Escobar and Mike Trout, and a run-scoring single from Albert Pujols to tie it.
Trout then robbed Mike Napoli of a home run to lead off the 10th. Cam Bedrosian (1-0) got the win with an inning of relief and Jeremy Jeffress (0-1) was stuck with the loss.
RED SOX 8, ORIOLES 1
Drew Pomeranz struck out six in his season debut, Dustin Pedroia drove in four runs and Boston beat Baltimore. Christian Vazquez added a two-run triple in the eighth, capping off a 4-for-4 game, as the Red Sox tagged Baltimore pitchers for 15 hits and had backto-back three-run innings in the seventh and eighth to blow the game open. Pomeranz, who opened the season on the disabled list with a strained left forearm, took a shutout into the seventh inning. He held Baltimore to four hits and one run in six innings and picked up his first win at Fenway Park.
TIGERS 2, TWINS 1
Matthew Boyd allowed one hit in six outstanding innings and James McCann homered in the fifth to lift Detroit over Minnesota. Boyd (1-1) took a no-hitter into the sixth before Robbie Grossman broke it up by lining a clean single to left field with two out. The Detroit left-hander struck out six and walked two before turning the game over to the bullpen. Tigers relievers have struggled so far this season, but they were able to close this game out. Francisco Rodriguez allowed a run in the ninth but recovered for his third save in four chances. Pinch-hitter Max Kepler hit a popup with two on to end it. Hector Santiago (1-1) allowed only three hits in 6 1/3 innings, but one of them was a two-run shot by McCann.
NATIONALS 8, CARDINALS 3
Daniel Murphy homered, doubled twice and tied career highs with five RBIs and four hits and Washington defeated St. Louis. Matt Wieters and Jayson Werth also hit solo shots to help Washington earn a second home series victory. Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez (1-0) allowed two runs - one earned - over seven innings. He allowed six hits before retiring his last 11 batters. Lance Lynn (0-1) allowed six runs - four earned - and five hits and four walks over five innings.
ROCKIES 3, PADRES 2
Nolan Arenado hit a go-ahead homer in the seventh, Antonio Senzatela threw seven sharp innings for his first major league win and Colorado beat San Diego. Arenado lined a fastball from reliever Miguel Diaz (1-1) to right for his third homer. Carlos Gonzalez and Charlie Blackmon also hit solo shots to help Colorado knot the three-game series with San Diego at a game apiece. Senzatela (1-0) and his blazing fastball made things difficult for the Padres. He allowed two runs while striking out five. The Rockies’ reliable bullpen took it from there, with Greg Holland working his way around a leadoff walk in the ninth to earn his fifth save.
DIAMONDBACKS 4, GIANTS 3
Robbie Ray pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning despite some control issues, Jake Lamb hit a bases-loaded triple and Arizona beat San Francisco. Chris Iannetta added an RBI single, and A.J. Pollock singled, scored and made a stellar play in center field to rob Aaron Hill of extra bases in the third. Arizona improved to 7-2, matching its best start in franchise history. Ray (1-0) settled in after pitching out of a pair of early jams and overcame matching his career high of five walks. The lefty struck out eight and allowed four hits over 6 2/3 innings. Jeff Samardzija (02) allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings.
ASTROS 7, MARINERS 5
George Springer hit his fourth leadoff home run of the season, Evan Gattis had a bases-loaded pinch-hit double and Houston beat Seattle. Seattle reliever James Pazos gave up hits to all four Houston batters he faced in the sixth inning - including Gattis’ double and a run-scoring single by Alex Bregman - as the Astros scored four runs to take the lead for good. Joe Musgrove (1-0) pitched into the sixth inning, giving up three runs and seven hits for Houston. Ariel Miranda (0-1) allowed four runs and seven hits.—AP