Tigers nip Bosox in home opener
JaCoby Jones capped a wild eighth inning by drawing a tiebreaking walk with the bases loaded, and the Detroit Tigers outlasted the Boston Red Sox 6- 5 on Friday to win their ninth consecutive home opener.
The Tigers blewa 4- 0 lead in the top of the eighth, when Pablo Sandoval gave the Red Sox the lead with a three- run home run against closer Francisco Rodriguez. But what the Tigers’ bullpen had squandered, the Red Sox’ relievers quickly gave back.
Losing pitcher Heath Hembree walked two batters, and pinch hitter Mikie Mahtook followed with a tying double against Robby Scott. Joe Kelly then allowed consecutive walks to James McCann and Jones to force in the final run.
Reds 2, Cardinals 0
Amir Garrett, who played two seasons of basketball at St. John’s while in the minor leagues, allowed two hits in six innings in his major- league debut, and Michael Lorenzen and Raisel Iglesias combined for three innings of hitless relief as the visiting Cincinnati Reds blanked the St. Louis Cardinals.
Nationals 7, Phillies 6
Reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer yielded two runs and four hits in 6⅔ innings after being slowed by a broken knuckle during spring training, and theWashington Nationals opened a 7- 1 lead before holding off the host Philadelphia Phillies.
Marlins 7, Mets 2
Wei- Yin Chen allowed one run in six innings and ended a 0- for- 51 slump at the start of his career with an infield single in the fourth, and the visiting Miami Marlins battered ZackWheeler for five runs and six hits in four innings in his first big- league start since 2014 in a victory against the New York Mets.
Pirates 5, Braves 4
Ivan Nova yielded an unearned run and six hits in six innings, David Freese and Francisco Cervelli hit back- to- back homers and the Pittsburgh Pirates won their home opener in snow flurries by edging the Atlanta Braves 5- 4.
This and that
The Los Angeles Dodgers put left- hander Rich Hill on the 10- day disabled list with a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand. Hill spent more than a month on the DL last season while dealing with blisters on his fingers.
The Los Angeles Angels put right- hander Garrett Richards on the 10- day disabled list with a strained right biceps. He missed most of last season with a partially torn elbow ligament but chose rest and stem- cell injections over Tommy John surgery.