Champion Astros rout O’s
Charlie Morton pitched six scoreless innings, Marwin Gonzalez homered and the Astros beat the Baltimore Orioles, 6-1, last night in their home opener after winning their first World Series title last year.
Morton (1-0) allowed three hits and struck out six. The right-hander picked up where he left off after getting the final 12 outs in Game 7 against the Dodgers on a night when the Astros unveiled their championship banner.
Brad Peacock pitched a perfect seventh and Will Harris allowed one hit in the eighth before Collin McHugh took the ball. The starter-turned-reliever allowed a homer to Trey Mancini and a double to Colby Rasmus before retiring the last three batters.
Orioles starter Chris Tillman (0-1) was tagged for seven hits and four runs in four-plus innings in an uncharacteristically poor season debut. He entered with a 3-0 record and a 2.68 ERA in his first appearance of the year.
Astros All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa departed after the second inning with discomfort in his left big toe. He fouled a ball off that foot Sunday but did not leave the game.
Blue Jays 4, White Sox 2 — Russell Martin hit a goahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning, Josh Donaldson and Aledmys Diaz both added solo shots and host Toronto beat Chicago for its third straight win.
All six runs in the game came on homers.
Welington Castillo went deep twice for the White Sox, his sixth career multihomer game and third straight against Toronto. Castillo hit five home runs against the Blue Jays in 2017, his highest total against any opponent.
Tigers 6, Royals 1 — Francisco Liriano pitched into the seventh inning and Victor Martinez drove in three runs to help host Detroit beat Kansas City for its first win of the season.
The temperature was in the mid-30s at Comerica Park for a matchup between the last two winless teams in the American League. Some fans came dressed in Michigan winter gear — the Wolverines played Villanova hours later in the NCAA men’s basketball championship game.
Liriano (1-0) allowed a run and four hits in 6C innings. The 34-year-old lefty, signed as a free agent in February, struck out three and walked two while throwing 94 pitches.
Yankees-Rays, ppd. — The home opener at Yankees Stadium between New York and Tampa Bay was postponed because of snow. The game was rescheduled for today at 4:05 p.m., with the Yankees’ Jordan Montgomery facing Chris Archer.
National League
Cardinals 8, Brewers 4 — Pitcher Miles Mikolas hit a home run and got the win in his return from a threeyear stint in Japan, and St. Louis spoiled Milwaukee’s home opener.
Paul DeJong connected for the second straight game, hitting his third homer this season to boost the Cardinals. The Brewers had opened the season with a three-game sweep at San Diego.
Mikolas (1-0) gave up a two-run homer to Eric Thames and solo shots to Lorenzo Cain and Manny Pina. But the 29-year-old righty benefited from the Cardinals’ own outburst at hitter-friendly Miller Park.
Nationals 8, Braves 1 — Bryce Harper hit a threerun homer and quick-scoring Washington beat host Atlanta for its first 4-0 start to a season in the team became the Nationals in 2005.
Harper’s second-inning shot off Sean Newcomb (0-1) to center field gave the Nats a 5-0 lead. He also drew four walks and scored three runs.
For the fourth straight game as the road team, the Nationals scored in the first inning to give their starting pitcher a lead before his first pitch. Tanner Roark (1-0) allowed one run in seven innings.
Washington placed catcher Matt Wieters on the 10day disabled list with a mild oblique strain.
Reds 1, Cubs 0 — Rookie Tyler Mahle pitched onehit ball for six innings, Raisel Iglesias struck out Anthony Rizzo with the bases loaded to end the eighth, and host Cincinnati edged Chicago for its first win of the season.
The Reds were swept at home by Washington in a three-game series to open, falling to 0-3 for the first time since 2003. They also trailed in all 27 innings — the Nationals scored in the first inning each time.
After getting their traditional opening parade, the Reds finally got a lead when Eugenio Suarez tripled in the fourth and scored on Adam Duvall’s groundout.
Phillies-Mets, ppd. — The game at Citi Field between host New York and Philadelphia was postponed because of wintry weather. It was rescheduled as a single-admission doubleheader July 9.
Interleague
Pirates 5, Twins 4 — Colin Moran hit a first-inning grand slam in his debut at PNC Park, Jameson Taillon tied a career high with nine strikeouts and host Pittsburgh held on to beat Minnesota.
Moran, part of a trade that sent Gerrit Cole to Houston in January, sent a full-count fastball from Lance Lynn into the seats above the Clemente Wall in right field to stake the Pirates to an early lead they nursed to just their third 4-0 start in 35 years.
Taillon allowed two runs and four hits in 5B innings, but his work nearly was undone by a shaky bullpen.
Elsewhere in baseball — Arizona outfielder Yasmany Tomas cleared waivers and was assigned outright to Triple-A Reno by the Diamondbacks, who are responsible for the $42.5 million he is owed in the remaining three seasons of a six-year, $68.5 million contract . ...
The Los Angeles Dodgers traded right-hander Jesus Liranzo to Baltimore for lefty Luis Ysla in a swap of minor leaguers.