A’s avoid worst start in team history, beat LA
Braves sweep Nationals; Reds take fifth in a row
OAKLAND, Calif. — After six straight games to start the season when almost nothing went right, Mitch Moreland made sure the Oakland Athletics would have something to feel good about when they head out on the road.
Moreland hit an RBI single with one out in the 10th inning as the A’s rallied to beat the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 on Wednesday for their first win of the season.
“Obviously we’ve been needing that one, kind of waiting for it,” Moreland said. “Hard-fought game today. We’ll take that and carry the momentum over into the road trip. It was a good one to get.”
The A’s were in danger of falling to 0-7 for the first time in franchise history before tying it in the ninth off Kenley Jansen when Matt Chapman scored on Elvis Andrus’ sacrifice fly. Chapman also hit a solo homer earlier in the game.
Oakland then won it in the 10th when Moreland’s line-drive single to center off Jimmy Nelson (0-1) scored Mark Canha from third. Canha started the inning on second base and had advanced on a flyout.
BRAVES 7-2, NATIONALS 6-0: In Washington, Atlanta pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval drove a two-run homer off a Washington reliever who took over after Stephen Strasburg’s six scoreless innings, lifting the Braves to a 2-0 victory over the Nationals and a doubleheader sweep.
Sandoval drove a 96 mph fastball from Tanner Rainey (0-1) more than 400 feet following Dansby Swanson’s two-out single in the seventh and final inning.
Ronald Acuña Jr. doubled and had a pair of singles as Atlanta won the opener 7-6.
Washington is missing nine players because of a coronavirus outbreak that led to the postponement of the team’s first four games. Four players tested positive, and another five who would have been on the 26-man roster are under quarantine.
REDS 11, PIRATES 4: In Cincinnati, Tyler Naquin hit another leadoff homer, this time off Chad Kuhl (0-1), Kyle Farmer added a two-run double in the first, and Cincinnati won its fifth straight.
Luis Castillo (1-1) allowed four hits in seven innings, struck out five and walked one.
Erik Gonzalez hit his first career grand slam in the Pirates’ ninth off Amir Garrett.
RED SOX 9 RAYS 2: In Boston, Christian Vázquez homered, Xander Bogaerts had three hits and J.D. Martinez went for extra bases for the seventh game in a row as Boston completed a three-game sweep.
Nathan Eovaldi (1-1) allowed one run, three hits and three walks over seven innings with seven strikeouts. The Red Sox, swept by lowly Baltimore in their opening series over the weekend, beat the defending AL champion Rays in three straight by a combined 26-9.
INDIANS 4, ROYALS 2: In Cleveland, José Ramírez’s second two-run homer of the game snapped a tie in the eighth against Greg Holland (0-1).
Shane Bieber struck out 12 for the second straight game, allowing two runs and three hits in 6 1/3 innings. Emmanuel Clase
(1-0) pitched the eighth and Nick Wittgren worked the ninth for the save.
ORIOLES 4, YANKEES 3 (11): In New York, Baltimore right fielder Anthony Santander threw out Gio Urshela trying to score on a fly ball in the 11th for the last out.
Pinch-hitter Chance Sisco had a goahead single in the top of the 11th off Chad Green (0-1). Baltimore was outhit 13-4.
TWINS 3, TIGERS 2: In Detroit, Jorge Polanco hit a two-run double in the sixth to propel Minnesota.
Kenta Maeda (1-0) pitched six mostly strong innings, allowing two runs and seven hits, and Alex Colomé pitched two innings for his second save.
RANGERS 2, BLUE JAYS 1: In Arlington, Texas, Kyle Gibson (1-0) struck out eight and allowed six hits over six scoreless innings.
Ian Kennedy, the third Texas reliever, struck out three around a hit in the ninth for his second save, both in less than 24 hours.
BREWERS 4, CUBS 2 (10): In Chicago, Lorenzo Cain hit his second homer of the game, a three-run shot in the 10th off Brandon Workman (0-1). Cain also hit a solo homer in the eighth.
Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff had a no-hit bid going until Ian Happ led off the seventh with a clean single.
The Brewers’ Josh Hader (2-0) pitched a scoreless ninth.
ROCKIES 8, DIAMONDBACKS 0: In Denver, Antonio Senzatela pitched eight strong innings on a cool evening, Chris Owings had three extra-base hits before leaving with right leg soreness, and Colorado beat Arizona to snap a four-game skid.
Senzatela (1-1) scattered four hits by mixing in a sizzling slider with a fastball that was moving all over. He walked two and struck out three. Senzatela was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the eight after throwing 96 pitches. GIANTS 3, PADRES 2 (10): In San Diego, Alex Dickerson scored on Donovan Solano’s sacrifice fly in the 10th off Tim Hill (0-1) .
San Diego’s Jurickson Profar reached third in the 10th on Kim Ha-seong’s grounder before Wandy Peralta struck out Jorge Mateo and got rookie Tucupita Marcano to fly out to end it for his first career save. PHILLIES 8, METS 2: In Philadelphia, Alec Bohm and J.T. Realmuto each hit a three-run homer, Rhys Hoskins had a solo shot and Philadelphia took two of three from a division rival after opening with a three-game sweep of three-time defending NL East champion Atlanta.
Connor Brogdon (3-0) got five outs to earn his third win in six games.
CARDINALS 7, MARLINS 0: In Miami, Yadier Molina hit a two-run homer and Dylan Carlson added a grand slam as St. Louis finished a three-game sweep that dropped the Marlins to 1-5 for the first time since 2015.
Jack Flaherty (1-0) allowed one hit in six innings, a leadoff single by Corey Dickerson. Genesis Cabrera and Jordan Hicks finished the three-hitter. MARINERS 8, WHITE SOX 4: In Seattle, Kyle Seager slapped an opposite-field, bases clearing double for the big blow in Seattle’s seven-run sixth inning, and the Mariners avoided a sweep.