Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Verlander fans 10 as Tigers beat White Sox in opener
AMERICAN LEAGUE TIGERS 6, WHITE SOX 3
CHICAGO — Justin Verlander views the Detroit Tigers as a driven team intent on reaching the playoffs after missing out the past two years. This wasn’t a bad start. Verlander struck out 10 to match the most by a Detroit pitcher on opening day since Mickey Lolich in 1970, and the Tigers backed him with three home runs in a 6-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday.
“I think everyone had a similar feel around the locker room in spring training,” said Verlander, whose team finished second in the AL Central last year and fell short of a wild card. “I think everybody is really happy with the vibe that we had going on this locker room. Everybody’s excited about the season getting going.”
JaCoby Jones hit his first career homer, Nick Castellanos and Ian Kinsler also went deep against Jose Quintana (0-1), and the Tigers sent Rick Renteria to a loss in his debut as White Sox manager.
A day after the teams were rained out and with a sparse crowd looking on, Jones’ three-run homer and Castellanos’ two-run drive in a five-run second lifted Detroit into a 5-1 lead. Kinsler added a solo shot in the fourth.
Verlander (1-0), the AL Cy Young Award runner-up last season, gave up two runs and six hits while walking two in 61/3 innings.
“He was just in control today,” said Kinsler, who had two hits and two runs. “He got into a couple tough situations, but he didn’t let it bother him.”
Francisco Rodriguez relieved with two on in the ninth and retired three straight batters for the save. He gave up an RBI groundout to Jacob May before catcher James McCann leaned over the railing in front of the Tigers dugout to snag Tyler Saladino’s foul for the final out.
Quintana, a first-time All-Star in 2016 and a candidate to be traded, allowed six runs and five hits in 51/3 innings. The three homers he gave up matched a career high.
“I feel really good and have confidence in me and it was just the first start,” Quintana said. “I have a long season and I’ll try the next one to throw the ball better.”
Melky Cabrera had two doubles, drove in a run and scored. Jose Abreu and Tyler Saladino each had two hits, but the bottom five batters were a combined 2 of 19 with eight strikeouts.
It was a familiar result for a White Sox team taking a different approach after four straight losing seasons.
Chicago traded ace Chris Sale and outfielder Adam Eaton while acquiring young players. The White Sox also promoted Renteria from bench coach to replace Robin Ventura, hoping to jolt a franchise with one playoff appearance since winning the 2005 World Series title.
YANKEES 5, RAYS 0 CC Sabathia was sharp in his first start, Ronald Torreyes and Chase Headley homered and the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays for their first victory this season. Starting his 17th major league season and the final year of his Yankees contract, the 36-year-old Sabathia (1-0) limited the team he has faced more than any other to three singles and a pair of walks in five innings. Five relievers finished the five-hitter. Dellin Betances retired Logan Morrison on a bases-loaded grounder that ended the eighth inning and Aroldis Chapman, back with the Yankees after agreeing to an $86 million, five-year contract, threw a perfect ninth. Traded to the Chicago Cubs by New York last July, Chapman reached 100 mph on four of 14 pitches, including his last, when Daniel Robertson struck out as his bat went flying into the third-base dugout and into the seats.
ASTROS 2, MARINERS 1 Brian McCann and Marwin Gonzalez homered to back a solid start by Lance McCullers and help the Houston Astros to a win over the Seattle Mariners. McCann’s homer off Hisashi Iwakuma (0-1) put Houston up 1-0 in the third inning, and Gonzalez broke a 1-all tie with his solo shot to left-center in the sixth inning. McCullers (1-0), slowed by injuries for chunks of last season, allowed one run and five hits while fanning seven in six innings. Will Harris pitched a perfect seventh, Luke Gregerson allowed one hit in the eighth and Ken Giles finished for his second save. Danny Valencia had two hits and drove in a run, the Mariners’ only one in two games against the Astros.
INDIANS 4, RANGERS 3 Carlos Santana led off with a home run, Carlos Carrasco struck out seven in his first start since breaking a bone in his right hand last season and the Cleveland Indians held on for a over the Texas Rangers. Carrasco (1-0) missed the playoffs for the AL champion Indians after getting struck on his hand by a line drive Sept. 17, then had some elbow discomfort this spring. The right-hander
limited Texas to two runs and had one walk on 78 pitches over 52/3 innings. Cody Allen allowed consecutive doubles by Nomar Mazara and Mike Napoli starting a 25-pitch ninth inning before striking out Rougned Odor, pinch-hitter Jurickson Profar and Joey Gallo for his second save. Allen struck out the side in the opener around a triple by Elvis Andrus. Cleveland won the first two games to clinch the opening series against two-time defending AL West champions.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
ROCKIES 6, BREWERS 5 New closer Greg Holland earned his second save in two days, Gerardo Parra hit a three-run double and the Colorado Rockies outlasted the Milwaukee Brewers for a victory. Holland tossed a perfect ninth for the Rockies, who have opened the season with 81/3 scoreless innings from their bullpen. The former Royals reliever is back on the mound after missing the 2016 season following Tommy John surgery. Parra and Mark Reynolds, a pair of former Brewers, look comfortable back in Milwaukee. Parra’s bases-loaded double with the game tied at 1 in a four-run third inning put the Rockies ahead for good. Reynolds, who is playing first base with Ian Desmond sidelined by a broken left hand, added an RBI double in the fifth. Ryan Braun doubled and homered for the Brewers.
CUBS 2, CARDINALS 1 Albert Almora Jr. robbed Matt Adams of a home run and Javier Baez made a terrific sliding stop on Kolten Wong’s game-ending grounder, sending Jake Arrieta and the Chicago Cubs to a victory against the St. Louis Cardinals. It looked as if the Cardinals had tied the game in the seventh, but Almora tracked Adams’ deep fly ball to the wall and hauled it in with a leaping grab at the top of the fence in center. A pumped-up Almora then celebrated with left fielder Kyle Schwarber as Adams tipped his batting helmet in appreciation of the catch. St. Louis had a runner on first in the ninth when Baez went into short right field to take a hit away from Wong. The Cardinals challenged the call on the bang-bang play, but it was allowed to stand.